Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes
by Misha
Summary: After an interlude in Connecticut, it's time for Christa to go back to living with her father, but can things go back to the way they were or will she learn that everything always changes? Season Two of the Sugar and Spice-verse.
1. Chapter 1: Reunited

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes

By Misha

 **Disclaimer- Not Mine. I'm just borrowing them for a while and I'm not making any money off this, so please don't sue me.**

 **Author's Notes- "Sugar and Spice" was the first part of Christa's journey, this is the second part. It'll cover the basic plot lines of the second season, with some twists and turns, as well as the events of Christa's own life away from Connecticut. This picks up about a few days after the end of "Sugar and Spice". As always I put my own spin on episodes and change timelines a bit to better suit my purposes. This one will focus less on life in Stars Hollow, because it's Christa's story and for this particular arc of her story, she's away from Connecticut. I try to keep the behavior appropriate to teenagers and draw on my own first hand experiences. In my experience, teenagers drink, have sex and make questionable decisions and Christa does all of those things. I waited until I had over 25,000 words of this story written to make the decision to post it, so there should be regular updates. I'm still working on "Sugar and Spice: The More Things Change", but I discovered the need to go back and establish what happened during this particular year of Christa's life, hence my decision to write this story.**

 **Rating- PG-13**

 **Spoilers- Mostly Season 2, but small ones for anything up to Season 5.**

 **Summery- After an interlude in Connecticut, it's time for Christa to go back to living with her father, but can things go back to the way they were or will she learn that everything always changes?**

* * *

Chapter One: Reunited

"Hey stranger." Christopher greeted his daughter as he held out his arms for her.

"Dad!" Christa cried, throwing herself at him.

Christopher hugged her tight, realizing how much he'd missed her these last four months. For over fifteen years, they'd been a set. Being a single father had been hard at times, but not as hard as being away from his little girl.

Deep down, he'd thought he'd enjoy his freedom, but he'd hated it. Christa was more than his responsibility: she was the center of his world. She was the best thing he'd ever done and without her around, his life had felt empty and incomplete. It wasn't something he'd expected.

He'd offered to take Christa to help Lorelai out and because he felt obligated. The whole time he'd worried that he'd screw it up, something he still worried about, but also that he might resent Christa someday. However, that had never happened. Being apart from her had shown him that as clear as day.

So, he was excited to see her and excited that to resume their normal routine. Though, he was a little hurt that Christa had put off moving to Boston with him until August. She'd told him that she wanted the summer with her friends and with Rory and it gave him time to get settled. He knew it was normal for her to want to spend time with her friends, but she'd never minded moving before and he'd hoped she'd be eager for their next chapter.

"You've grown," he accused after a moment, releasing her from the hug.

Christa laughed. "Only mouthier."

Christopher grinned. "I'd expect nothing less. Did you have a good drive?"

Christa had driven down to Boston to meet him and they were going to look at apartments. He wanted her input, since it was going to be her home.

"I did." Christa told him and then she paused, something obviously on her mind. "Dad…"

"Yeah?" Christopher asked, suddenly worried that Christa was going to tell him she wanted to stay in Connecticut.

"Mom's engaged." She said instead. "Well, she's not engaged yet, but she's been asked and I'm pretty sure she's going to say yes."

The news caught Christopher off-guard. Even though he'd always known this day would come, the words were still like a blow. Or more like the slamming of a door. "That's great." He said finally. "Good guy?"

Christa gave him a look, obviously assessing his reaction. "Yeah. He's really nice. He teaches at Chilton actually and he's everyone's favorite teacher."

Christopher raised an eyebrow, because that part **was** unexpected. "Your mom and your teacher, huh? Is that awkward?"

Christa shrugged. "It was for Rory. I missed the worst of the gossip. Besides, you know me, that sort of stuff doesn't bother me and anyway, Mr. Medina is pretty cool, for a teacher, so least Mom has good taste."

"Well, I'm happy for her," Christopher said after a moment and it was mostly true. There was some regret that he and Lorelai had missed their shot, but it wasn't like he'd been wasting away pining for her and Lorelai's news made what he had to tell Christa, a little easier.

"I'm seeing someone too," he mentioned casually, "her name is Sherri and she's actually the one who recommended me for this new job. It's not serious yet, but I like her a lot and I want you to meet her."

He omitted the fact that the only reason the relationship wasn't serious yet was because of Christa. He might not be the most responsible parent, but he valued her too much to jump into anything that affected her. Sherri had wanted him and Christa to just move into her place, but he'd vetoed that.

While Sherri was easy-going about the fact that he had two kids, one of whom he had full custody of, and was actually excited about the idea of an instant family, he knew that wasn't fair to Christa. Instead, he'd give her time to get to know Sherri and they'd go from there. He **had** been staying with Sherri for the last few days and would continue to do so until he found his own place, but he'd gotten a hotel for the weekend. He wanted Christa to know that he wasn't rushing her into anything. Though, he really hoped that she liked Sherri.

"Cool." Christa said with a shrug. "Sounds fine to me."

Christopher laughed, wondering why he'd worried about her reaction. "That's my girl." Nothing ever phased Christa. Rory was so big on lists and schedules and wanting things to go a certain way, but Christa just went with the flow. She accepted life as it was and adapted, it was one of the things that Christopher loved most about his daughter.

"How bad has it been living with your grandparents?" He asked after a moment, thinking about how well Christa adapted to change. She'd never complained to him about her living arrangement, but he'd grown up in that house, so he knew it had to have been awful. Of course, his relationship with his parents and Christa's relationship were very different things. After a bad start when she'd first come to live with him, his parents had come around and lavished affection on her.

Christa shrugged. "It was fine. Mostly, they like to buy me things and take me places and show me off."

"And you hate that." Christopher teased. Why didn't it surprise him that his parents had decided to buy Christa's affections? That was pretty much their go-to.

"I like the presents," Christa admitted, "having my own car is pretty awesome. As for the rest? It's ok. The parties and events are boring, but my friends usually get dragged as well, so it's not too bad." She smiled at him. "Honestly, Dad, it hasn't been that bad. Mostly they let me do my own thing."

Christopher knew that that would be the most important thing for Christa. After all, she was used to a lot of personal freedom. Maybe too much. It had been pointed out to him that he might have been too relaxed with Christa and that teenage girls needed structure and boundaries, things he'd never been good at providing. Still, Christa was a good kid and Christopher trusted her.

"I'm glad you fared better in that house than I ever did." Christopher said lightly, glad for Christa's sake that his parents had apparently mellowed. Or maybe they had simply learnt from their mistakes.

"It wasn't home though," Christa assured him, "living with Straub and Francine was fine, but I'm so happy that I'll be living with you again. I've really missed you."

"I missed you too." Christopher told her sincerely. He knew he wasn't most people's idea of parents of the year, and he'd failed a lot where Rory was concerned, but he'd done his best for Christa. He looked at her now, his smiling, sarcastic, brilliant girl and realized that whatever else could be said about him, he'd raised one heck of a kid.

* * *

"Sherri, this is Christa; Christa, this is Sherri." Christopher introduced after they arrived at the restaurant.

Christa's first impressions of her father's new girlfriend was that she was very blonde and very perky. The blonde wasn't a problem (though her recent experiences with Paris, Louise and Stephanie made her associate blonde with bitchiness), but the perkiness could be. Christa wasn't a big fan of perky.

"Oh, finally, finally, finally!" Sherri exclaimed, jumping up to greet them. "I am so beyond thrilled, I can't even express it. All Christopher does is talk about you and I just couldn't wait to meet this amazing person."

"It's nice to meet you too." Christa said, exchanging a glance with her father, who looked slightly pleading. Christa knew he wanted her to give Sherri a chance, so for his sake, she'd do her best to get past the perkiness.

Just then Sherri wrapped her arms around Christa in a spontaneous hug. "We're going to be the best of friends! I just know it!"

Great. She was a hugger.

"I can't wait." Christa said, slowly detangling herself from the hug.

Sherri beamed and then took her seat again. Christopher sat across from her, with Christa sitting next to her dad.

"So what do you do, Sherri?" Christa asked politely.

"I'm the East Coast sales rep for L'Oreal Cosmetics." Sherri told her. "Which means I have a great make-up stash that you're welcome to raid."

Ok, _that_ was a point in her favor, Christa conceded.

Before she could say anything, the waitress came to take their order. Sherri ordered a water and a salad, Christopher ordered a cheeseburger and a Coke, but with a side salad instead of fries. Christa frowned, that was new. She resolved to ask later and ordered a burger of her own, but with a milkshake and a double order of fries.

"How can you eat like that?" Sherri asked once the waitress was gone. "Don't you worry about your weight?"

"Christa's like her mother, she can eat her weight in junk food and still stay slim." Christopher said with a fond smile. "If Lorelai could bottle her secret, she'd be a millionaire."

Christa saw a shadow pass Sherri's face at the mention of Lorelai and wondered if her dad's new girlfriend had a problem with the mother of his children. But all Sherri said was, "how lucky! I have to watch what I eat because one chocolate bar means an extra several hours at the gym."

"You look great," Christa told her, knowing it was expected, "and I love your clothes."

Sherri **was** very stylish and her food issues weren't uncommon. Growing up in high society, Christa was used to the pressure women felt to be thin. After all, look at Juliet who hadn't eaten a full meal since before puberty.

"Thank you!" Sherri told her. "I love clothes. I went to private school just like you and I hated wearing the same thing every day and it gave me a deep appreciation for fashion."

"The uniforms suck." Christa agreed, warming to Sherri. "I'm so glad that school's out this week and I get three months without a uniform." Then it meant a new school and a new uniform, but one thing Christa had realized after three private schools; the uniforms were always ugly.

"What are your plans for your summer vacation?" Sherri asked. "Your dad told me that you wanted to stay in Connecticut until August, but I was hoping to change your mind. We could have so much fun this summer. I love the beach."

"I do too." Christa told her. "I'm actually spending two weeks in Martha's Vineyard in July. Straub and Francine will be staying with some friends of theirs and I'm tagging along."

"Willingly?" Christopher asked, making a face. "I used to make excuses to not have to vacation with my parents."

"They're staying with my friend Logan's family," Christa explained, "and a lot of my other friends will also be there." Robert, Stephanie and a couple other of their friends also had family homes at the Vineyard and the rest of their friends had been invited to stay at one place or another over for the first weeks of July.

"Logan, huh?" Christopher asked. "You talk about him a lot. Is he more than a friend?"

"No." Christa told him dismissively. "He's probably my best friend, but nothing else. I know Logan through Colin." She'd mentioned Colin to her father, including the fact that they went out sometimes but that it wasn't serious.

Christopher accepted her words with a nod, but Sherri frowned. "Is it wise to let Christa go away with a bunch of boys?" She asked Christopher. She turned towards Christa, "I mean, you seem like a smart girl, and I'm sure you wouldn't do anything stupid but you have to be careful."

"My parents will be there," Christopher told Sherri, "plus I assume it won't be all boys?"

"No," Christa told him, "there will be some girls as well. My friend," she choked a bit on the word, "Stephanie's dad has a house not far from Logan's and I know that some of the girls will be staying with her. Plus I'll be sharing a room with Logan's sister."

"That sounds like fun," Sherri agreed, "we just want to make sure you're safe, that's all."

Christa's eyes narrowed at the use of the word 'we' and the little suggestions Sherri was making and she hoped this wasn't a sign of things to come. She was fine with her dad having a girlfriend, but she didn't need another mother.


	2. Chapter 2: Back Where She Belongs

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Two: Back Where She Belongs

"So what did you think of Sherri?" Christopher asked Christa later that night once they'd checked into their hotel. Christopher had booked a suite and it was pretty nice.

"She's very… Enthusiastic." Christa said with a shrug.

"She just wants to get to know you," Christopher chastised, "she's been looking forward to meeting you and she really wants to be a part of your life. She wants to get to know Rory too."

"It's the 'part of my life' part that worries me." Christa told him honestly. "I guess I just don't see the point. You've had other girlfriends and I never met any them. I liked that."

One of the things that she'd always appreciated about her parents was that they kept their love life private. She knew both her parents dated, but until Max and now Sherri, she'd never been involved.

"I know, but this time is different." Christopher told her. "I like Sherri a lot. More than I've ever liked any woman other than your mom. It could be serious and that's why she wants to get know you, because you and I are a set."

Christa stifled a groan. She didn't like the sound of that. A step-parent like Max, who seemed willing to leave the parenting to Lorelai? That she could handle. A perky blonde who kept making suggestions and wanting to be involved? Not so much.

"How did you even meet?" Christa asked. As far as she knew her father had been in California for months.

"After I left you in Hartford, I swung by Boston to check in with a few contacts." Christopher explained. "I met Sherri through friends and when I went back to California we stayed in touch and then she came to California to visit and she told me about the job."

"I'm glad we're staying on the East Coast," Christa told him, deciding to ignore the subject of Sherri for the time being or the disturbing fact that the relationship sounded serious, "I like being close to Mom and Rory, plus I've made soon good friends."

"I'm glad." Christopher told her, "Though speaking of friends, are you upset about leaving Chilton?"

"No," she assured him, "it's just a school. The best part is Rory, but we've discovered that we don't make the best classmates."

"Oh?" Her dad asked curiously.

"We're just very different," She pointed out, "We take different approaches to life and we've had a few fights this year and it reminded me that a little distance isn't necessarily a bad thing." She shrugged. "And none of my other close friends go to Chilton. Besides, Logan and Colin will be off to Yale in the fall anyway."

"Logan and Colin are a big part of your social life, huh?" Christopher commented. "When do I get to meet them?"

"Do you want to?" Christa asked, a little surprised. Her dad had never made a big deal about meeting any of her friends before. He'd met most of them, of course, but he'd never specifically asked. Of course, it had been different since she'd been living in his home.

"I wouldn't mind," he told her, "preferably before Martha's Vineyard."

Christa didn't see the big deal about Martha's Vineyard, but if her dad wanted to meet Logan and Colin, it could be arranged. "When will you be in Connecticut next?"

"I was going to put in an appearance next weekend," he told her, "it's been months since my father's told me what a disappointment I am, we're overdue. I was hoping to see Rory."

"She'll like that," Christa said sincerely, "We're going to a party Saturday night, but you can meet Colin and Logan Friday night."

She knew that they had plans Saturday and Sunday, but she hadn't heard anything about Friday. She'd text Logan later and see. Besides this gave her an excuse for not going to Friday night dinner.

"Rory's going to a party?" Christopher asked, obviously surprised.

"It happens occasionally," Christa said dryly, "We're wearing matching dresses. Well, co-ordinated dresses. Mine is purple, hers is blue. Mom made them and they are _so_ cute."

Christa had a wardrobe full of designer clothes, but there was something special about the clothes Lorelai made. They were always so cute and unique and well, they were made by her mom, which was very cool. Christa's friends had always been jealous of the clothes Lorelai would send her and as she got older she'd realized that they necessarily weren't jealous of the clothes, though they were cute, but of the type of mom who would sew them for her.

"I can't remember the last time I saw the two of you dressed alike," Christopher mused, "probably not since you were babies."

"I figured I might as well milk the twin thing while I can." Christa said with a grin. "I'm hoping for cute, not corny."

"You'll miss your mom and Rory." Christopher said quietly.

"Yeah," Christa agreed, "but not as much as I missed you."

Her dad smiled. "I missed you too. These last few months really sucked. We're a team, kid, and it's not the same without you."

Christa smiled back, but at the same time she couldn't help but wonder how Sherri was going to fit into their team…

* * *

"Call me as soon as you get back to Hartford." Christopher instructed on Sunday morning.

"Hartford or Connecticut?" Christa clarified, "because I'm probably going to Mom's."

"Then call me from there," Christopher told her, "Say hi to your mom and Rory."

"I will." Christa promised. "So we've agreed that you're going to rent that cute apartment in the artsy neighborhood? The one with the purple walls?"

"No,' He said with a laugh, "I'm going to rent the nice sedate condo in the good neighborhood, but I'll make your room is painted purple if you want."

"I always want." She told him and then laughed. "But make it a good purple, not lavender or lilac like my room at Richard and Emily's."

"Your room at Richard and Emily's?" Christopher asked in confusion. "Why do you have a room at Richard and Emily's?"

"Because Emily's insane," Christa told him with a grin, explaining how Emily had decided that she and Rory needed their own dedicated space. "It's a frilly girly nightmare."

"So, you want lace and frills for your new room, got it." Her dad teased.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "No."

"You should get going," Christopher pointed out after a moment.

Christa sighed. "I know." She didn't want to leave her dad. They had been apart for too long.

"I'll see you on Friday." Christopher promised, giving her a big hug and then kissing the top of her head. "Be good and have a safe drive."

Christa nodded and grabbed her bag.

"Christa?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you please ty and give Sherri a chance?" Her dad asked quietly. "I know she comes on strong and I know that it's always been just the two of us, but…"

"I'll do my best." Christa promised, because she could see that her dad really cared about Sherri.

Sherri and Christa had actually gone shopping the previous day and it had been okay. She'd been less annoying than at dinner, though Christa wasn't sure they'd ever be best friends. But maybe they didn't have to be, they just had to figure out a way to get along and for her dad's sake, Christa would try. Maybe they could just go shopping a lot.

"Also, don't say anything to your mom." Her dad added. "It's still early and I know she'll have a lot of questions because of you and…"

"I get it," Christa told him, though she didn't really. She wasn't sure Lorelai would care that Christopher had a new girlfriend, she was marrying Max after all, but her parents were weird. Especially about each other. In fact, she wasn't sure how her mom would feel if she knew Christa had spilled the engagement beans, but Christa had felt like she'd had to warn her dad since Lorelai was the one who kept saying no.

"Ok, I really am going now." She said, giving her dad one last hug before heading to her car. "I'll call you when I get to Mom's."

* * *

"Hey hun, how was Boston?" Lorelai asked Christa as soon as she walked in the door after spending the weekend with her dad. It was strange to know that Christa was leaving soon and she wouldn't be able to pop in whenever. But at least Boston was closer than California.

"It was good." Christa said. "It was _great_ seeing Dad and we found a place, though it's pretty boring. Oh and he's coming down on Friday and wants to see Rory."

"That's great." Lorelai said, wondering if Christopher would actually manage to see Rory. Probably, since the purpose of the visit was actually to see Christa and he rarely disappointed her. "So you're ok with the move?"

They hadn't really had a chance to talk about the upcoming move and how Christa felt about it. It had just been presented as a done deal, no discussion, but then, unfortunately, Lorelai had surrendered her rights to discussion where Christa was concerned a long time ago.

Christa shrugged. "Sure. Boston seems nice and Dad says he found me a good school. Plus it's only a two hour drive, so I'll be able to visit you and Rory regularly. Colin and Logan are off to Yale anyway, so either way it would be a road trip to go see them."

Lorelai smiled. She didn't know why she'd worried, Christa took everything in stride. Except maybe that was what worried Lorelai because she knew that someday there would be a change that Christa wouldn't be able to take in stride and her daughter would be completely unprepared.

However, given that life with Christopher tended to be unstable, Lorelai figured it was only natural that Christa had learned to adapt and go with the flow. Though, Lorelai constantly wished that Christopher would mature and become the kind of dad both her kids deserved. He was in and out of Rory's life as it suited him and while he was always there for Christa, the last few months notwithstanding, her life had been anything but stable.

"You're not sad about leaving Chilton?" Lorelai asked, though she was sure she knew the answer. Christa had changed schools enough times that it seemed unlikely she would get attached to one that she'd only been at for a few months.

Christa shrugged. "Not really. I mean, I'll miss Tristan, I guess, but I don't have any real friends there. Some people I hang out with, but no one I can't leave, and I definitely won't miss Paris. It was nice going to school with Rory, but at the same time, it was weird too."

"I can understand that," Lorelai told her, "You and Rory are very different."

"Oh yeah." Christa said, rolling her eyes. "And being together every day really highlighted that. I think we get along better when we don't see each other all the time. Besides, I really missed Dad."

"I know you did," Lorelai said softly, "And I know you've been looking forward to this."

She'd rather that Christa lived with her, but after fifteen years, she'd accepted that wouldn't happen and she wanted Christa to be where she was happiest and that was with Christopher. Besides, Christa brought out the best in Christopher and maybe having Christa back and being so close, he'd finally step up and be the dad Rory needed.


	3. Chapter 3: Why Does It Have to Be This

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer in Chapter One._

 _A.N- I totally made up the summer program thing. It's not really clarified in the show and I'm not American so I have very little idea how summer school works there. So instead I made up something that works with my story._

Chapter Three: Why Does It Have to Be This Way?

"Freedom!" Christa announced on their last day of Chilton when she met Rory at her locker. "We are done!"

"Except for summer school." Rory reminded her. Summer session ran 3 days a week for June and then another session in July and granted extra credit.

"You might be doing the summer program, but I'm out." Christa informed her. "School and summer are words that don't go together in my mind and thankfully I don't need the extra credit."

"It's our last chance to go to school together." Rory pointed out. Even saying the words sucked. She hated that her sister was moving to Boston.

"Yeah, I don't care, it's still not happening." Christa said, leaning against her locker. She looked around impatiently.

"Waiting for someone?" Rory teased, knowing her sister was waiting for Tristan.

Christa just rolled her eyes and before she could say anything, Tristan appeared.

"Hey babe," he said, giving Christa a quick kiss, "Rory," he said with a nod, before turning his attention back to Christa, "I got held after for a lecture and was told that I may want to consider at least one session of summer program."

Christ made a face. "That sucks."

"I was just telling Christa that the summer program can be very enriching," Rory interjected, seeing a potential ally, "it's an easy way to get extra credit."

Tristan gave Christa a puppy dog look. "If you sign up, you'll save my summer."

"No." Christa protested. "I hate school. I love summer. Plus I have summer plans. Plans that don't involve school."

"In July," Rory pointed out, knowing what her sister's plans involved. She also knew that Christa probably didn't want to discuss with them Tristan, whatever their current arrangement might be. "If you only do one session you'll be done before the 4th."

"Please?" Tristan pleaded. "I'll be bored silly otherwise. Or I'll just skip and then I'll get in even more trouble. You wouldn't want that to happen, would you?"

Christa rolled her eyes, but sighed. "Fine." She turned to Rory. "I trust you to pick something that isn't truly awful."

"I will," Rory promised happily. She was suddenly grateful for Tristan's slacker tendencies as she doubted she would have been able to persuade Christa on her own.

"I can't believe I'm going to summer school," Christa said with a groan, "I thought I was done with school and with that in mind, I'd like at least a temporary reprieve and get out of this place." She turned to Tristan. "We still on for tonight?"

"We are," he told her. "What time?"

"I have to run Rory home," Christa told him, "I'll text you when I get back to Hartford." She gave him a quick kiss and then headed down the hallway, motioning for Rory to follow.

"You and Tristan seem to be seeing a lot of each other," Rory commented. She knew they weren't exclusive, but it sure looked serious. At least from her vantage point.

"We go out 2-3 times a week." Christa confirmed. "I'm also seeing a lot of Colin and a little bit of a few other guys."

"It's a wonder you have time for Mom and I." Rory joked, though she had noticed that her sister's social calendar always seemed to be full.

"You guys come first." Christa told her with a smile. "However, while you and Mom might be happily committed, I'm still me and I have no desire to join you. But yes, things are good with Tristan, though we both know there's an expiry date."

"Because you're moving to Boston." Rory realized. She had been avoiding thinking about the fall and the reality of her sister moving away, so she hadn't thought about how it would impact her sister's relationships.

"Yeah, long distance relationships don't work when you're sixteen," Christa pointed out, "Especially when it's not a real relationship. So we'll enjoy the summer and that's that."

"Will you be doing the same with Colin?" Rory asked curiously.

"Probably." Christa told her. "I mean, we might still see each other occasionally, but he and Logan are off to Yale anyway." She shrugged. "It was always meant to be temporary."

"What if you stayed?" Rory suggested before she could stop herself. "In Connecticut, I mean."

"I can't do that." Christa told her softly. "I can't come live with and Mom, it's not my home, and I don't want to keep living with Straub and Francine. I want to be with Dad, it's where I belong."

"I guess," Rory said softly, "I just… I'll miss this."

"Me too." Christa told her. "But I'll only be two hours away and we can see each other all the time. I promise."

Rory nodded, but she knew it wouldn't be the same. It was strange, she'd had a life time of being apart from her twin and only a few months of daily contact, but now that she'd had it, she didn't want to give it up. She didn't want to go back to having a part-time twin.

* * *

"You seem glum," Lorelai commented when she got home from work to find Rory moping on the couch, "don't tell me that you're depressed because school is over."

"I don't want Christa to go to Boston," Rory told her.

Lorelai nodded, she should have guessed.

"Oh, Rory," She said softly, "I'm going to miss her too."

"Why can't she live with us?" Rory asked plaintively. "I know that the custody agreement says that she lives with Dad, but she hasn't lived with him in months."

"Which is something they both want to fix," Lorelai reminded her, "I know it's hard, but Christa belongs with your dad." At least that was how the law saw it, plus at sixteen, it was basically Christa's decision and she wanted to be with Christopher.

"Why can't they live in Connecticut?"

"Because your dad has a job in Boston." Lorelai reminded her patiently. "At least it's Boston and she's not going back to California. You'll be able to see her all the time."

"But not every day." Rory protested. "I like seeing Christa every day. I like having classes with her and arguing with her over silly things."

Personally, Lorelai would be happy to see the end of the arguing over silly things and she thought Christa would too. The twins had a strong bond, but they were very different and being around each other every day had made that clear. Still, she kept that thought to herself, knowing Rory wouldn't want to hear it.

"I like having Christa here too," she said instead, "it's been amazing. I'd have her come live with us in a heartbeat, but we both know that she'd say no, just like she always has."

"But I don't understand why," Rory whined, "I mean, she belongs here with us."

Lorelai wondered for the millionth time if she'd done the right thing fifteen years earlier. "Sadly, she doesn't. She and your father have been a team for a long time, Rory, and she belongs with him." It wasn't the first time she and Rory had had this conversation…

 _/"I talked to you dad tonight," Lorelai told Rory softly before bed, trying to figure out how she was going to tell her Christopher's big news._

 _"Let me guess, something's come up and I can't visit next weekend." Rory said with a sigh, too jaded for a thirteen year old._

 _"No, you're still on for the weekend," Lorelai assured her, "he really wants to see you. It might be the last time for a while though."_

 _"Oh?" Rory asked suspiciously._

 _"Your dad got a job in California." Lorelai told her quietly. "He's moving there in two weeks."_

 _The news had stunned Lorelai, especially the fast timeline, but that was how it often worked with Christopher. He just sprung things on her and she had to adjust._

 _Rory was silent. "Oh." She said finally and then she hopped off her bed and started looking around her room critically. "I'll need bunk beds." She announced. "It's the only way we're going to be able to fit two people in this room."_

 _Lorelai winced, this was the part she had been dreading. She'd expected Rory to be calm about Christopher leaving, at this point Rory was used to him disappointing her, but Lorelai knew that she wouldn't take the rest of the news as well. "Christa's not moving in with us, honey."_

 _Rory turned to stare at her. "What do you mean? Where will she go?"_

 _"She's going with your dad." Lorelai told her quietly. "He has custody of her, just like I have custody of you and he wants her with him."_

 _And legally there wasn't anything she could do. She'd agreed years ago to let Christopher take Christa out of state, but New York and Pennsylvania had been one thing. She'd never expected him to take her daughter across the country._

 _"You're just going to let him take her?" Rory cried. "She's my sister! She belongs with me! It sucks that you've kept us separated for as long as I can remember, but now we're going to be on opposite side of the country?"_

 _"I know it sucks." Lorelai said softly, wrapping her arms around Rory. "I hate it too."/_

Lorelai still hated it.

"I hate this," Rory said again, echoing Lorelai's thoughts. "I hate that we just have to let her leave."

"Me too." Lorelai told her daughter quietly. "But… We can't let Christa see how much we hate it. We don't want to make her feel guilty about living with your dad."

"Why not?" Rory protested.

"Because, it's her normal." Lorelai said softly. "Your dad and I are the ones who made this arrangement. Any blame rests on us, not on Christa. This is just her normal and… I don't want you to make her feel bad about wanting the life she's used to."

Rory made a face. "Fine. I can't act happy, but I'll try and tone it down a bit and not make Christa feel guilty."

"That's all I ask," Lorelai told her, knowing that she would have to do the same. It was even more important for her, because she was the one who had made the original decision to let Christopher have Christa and fifteen years later she had to live with it. She wouldn't make her daughter feel guilty about wanting to stay with her father, but she didn't know what to say to Rory to make it right.

It had been fifteen years and the separations never got easier and Lorelai had never been able to shake the feeling that she had made a terrible mistake.


	4. Chapter 4: Meeting Christopher

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Four: Meeting Christopher

"Dad, I'd like you to meet Logan and Colin." Christa introduced on Friday night after the boys arrived at the Hayden residence.

The meeting that Christopher had requested had been easy to arrange. Straub and Francine had been thrilled to hear that she was inviting Colin and Logan over for dinner and the boys had been surprisingly easy going about it. Though their plan was to escape after dinner and hit up a party at Seth's.

Christopher smiled and shook each of their hands. "I've heard a lot about you two," he commented as they walked into the living room.

"All vicious lies, I'm sure," Colin said with a grin, casting a teasing look at Christa, "This one is the real trouble maker."

"Oh, don't worry," Christopher said with a laugh, "I know exactly how much of a handful my daughter is."

Christa stuck her tongue out at her father, causing all three of them to laugh.

"She's one of a kind," Logan agreed.

"I keep telling you, I'm two of a kind." Christa corrected.

Logan laughed. "And I keep telling you I don't buy it. Twin or not, there's no one like you Christa."

"He's got that right," Christopher agreed, "Rory's great, but very different. She's not the wild child that this girl is."

"Are you spreading lies about my granddaughter?" Francine asked as she and Straub joined them. "We all know that Christine is a perfect angel." Francine turned to the boys with a smile. "Colin, Logan, I'm glad you were able to join us tonight."

Thank you for inviting us Mrs. Hayden." Colin said, shaking her hand and then Straub's. Logan followed suit, echoing his sentiments.

"Christine's friends are always welcome here," Straub told them.

Her socially acceptable friends, Christa corrected silently. And not her sister. She tried to imagine her grandparents' reactions if she brought Rory home.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Straub asked.

Both Colin and Logan asked for a soda and Straub motioned for the housekeeper to get it for them.

"Logan, I'm looking forward to visiting the Vineyard this summer," Francine told him after they were all settled with their drinks.

"We're looking forward to having you," Logan told her with a charming smile and then he turned to Christa. "You are going to love the Vineyard and we have so many plans. The whole gang is going to be there, though not all staying with us, of course."

"I can't wait." Christa said with a grin.

"I hope you don't object to us keeping Christine a little longer?" Straub asked Christopher. "The trip to Martha's Vineyard will be good for her."

Christa knew her grandparents were seeing it as an opportunity for her to socialize with the right people, while she saw it as a chance to party with her friends for two weeks.

"It's what she wants." Christopher said with a shrug. He turned his attention to Logan. "So it's your family's home."

"Yes." Logan confirmed.

"And you'll be there as well?" Christopher asked Colin and Christa could see him taking note of that fact that while Christa sat between the boys on the couch, it was Colin's arm that was resting on her leg.

"Yes," Colin confirmed, "I'll be staying with Logan's family."

"The house has plenty of bedrooms," Logan assured him, obviously catching on to the fact that Christopher didn't seem thrilled with the arrangement, "my parents tend to fill it with guests all summer, which means that the younger generation will all be doubling up. Christa will be sharing a room with my sister, Honor."

"Christine will be under our care, Christopher." Francine interjected, "you don't have to worry."

"I guess not," Christopher conceded, but as he looked from Colin to Christa, she could tell that for some reason, her father was apprehensive about the idea and she had no idea why.

* * *

"So are you planning on seeing your dad tomorrow?" Lorelai asked Rory as they stood on the steps of the Gilmore mansion.

Rory nodded. "I'm having lunch with him and Christa.' She looked at her mom. "How do you think dinner with Colin and Logan is going?"

"No clue." Lorelai said with a shrug. She had been surprised when Christa had told her that Christopher had played the parent card and wanted to meet Colin and Logan since Christa talked about them so often. It wasn't what Lorelai expected from him, but then, she had to remind herself that when it came to Christa, Christopher was different. Maybe he felt it was his job as a dad to inspect her friends.

It had actually made Lorelai realized that she should probably meet them too or at least meet Logan. Her one meeting with Colin had been enough to know that he was harmless; spoiled and entitled, but harmless.

Just then the door opened and instead of the maid, it was Emily standing there with an excited expression. "You're here!" She announced. "Richard, they're here!"

"Wonderful!" Lorelai heard her father call out.

"Come in! Come in!" Emily said excitedly.

Lorelai wondered what was going on, but she followed her mother to the living room.

"So tell me what's new with you girls." Emily said once they were seated.

"Uh, nothing." Lorelai said, wondering why her mom was so hyped up.

"I'm having lunch with Dad tomorrow." Rory offered.

"Yes, Christa told me that Christopher was in town and that she would be unable to join us for dinner." Emily commented. "Such a shame too. I was hoping she'd be here."

Ok, now Lorelai knew something was up, because Christa only came to Friday Night dinner when she was forced to.

"Did something special happen?" Rory asked, obviously picking up on Emily's strange behavior.

Emily beamed. "Well, as a matter of fact…" She paused. "Oh for goodness sake. Richard, dammit!"

"Mom, why don't you just tell us what's happening now?" Lorelai asked, impatient to hear what was going on.

"Oh, all right," Emily conceded, "I can't wait for your grandfather any long. Well, as you know, I'm very good friends with Bitty Charleston, the headmaster's wife."

Rory and Lorelai both nodded.

"Well, we have this little arrangement where she keeps me appraised of all the goings on at Chilton," Emily confided, "She tell me all the gossip on the student and their parents and any piece of information I might find useful."

"Ok." Lorelai said, though really she found it a tad creepy that her mother felt the need to keep tabs of Rory's classmates. However she knew better than to say anything about it.

"Well, today she called to tell me the class list just came out," Emily said excitedly, "and Rory has finished in the top three percent!"

Ah. So that was the big news.

"I know." Lorelai told her.

Emily's face fell. "You do? Who do you know at Chilton?"

"Um, Rory." Lorelai reminded her.

Emily processed that. "Oh."

"It wasn't definite, but I had a pretty good idea," Rory told her apologetically.

Just then Richard walked in. "Rory, wonderful news. You finished in the top three percent of your class."

"We know." Lorelai told him.

"What?" Richard looked put out. He turned to Emily. "I told you not to say anything before I got here."

"Well, you took too long." Emily told him.

"And we already knew." Lorelai added.

Her parents glared at each other, but didn't say anything more on the subject.

"I am immensely proud of you Rory." Richard told her with a smile.

"Yes, we knew you could do it." Emily beamed. "We also learnt, but maybe you knew this already too, that Christa was in the top twelve percent. And she arrived halfway through the school year!"

Lorelai blinked. That information was new to her and it was a bit of a surprise. Not because Christa wasn't as bright as Rory, she was, but she wasn't quite as dedicated.

"That **is** news to me," Lorelai admitted, "I don't think Christa knew where she was going to end up." All Christa had said on the subject was that she knew she had passed.

"Well, we're incredibly proud of her as well," Emily commented, "this requires a celebration. Next week we'll have a special dinner."

"Grandma, all of your dinners are special." Rory told her.

Emily smiled. "Well this one will be extra special. It'll be for you and Christa both. We'll make all your favorite foods and you an each invite some of your friends."

"There's an excellent chance that presents might be involved." Richard added.

"You guys do not have to do this." Rory protested.

"We most certainly do," Emily told her, "We are so proud of you and Christa." She turned to Lorelai. "You'll tell Christa that we expect her next week and that she can invite a friend?"

"Will do." Lorelai promised. She wasn't sure how Christa would feel about the summons, since she normally avoided Friday Night dinner, but Lorelai would remind her that it was a nice gesture and it really was.

Lorelai was very impressed that her parents were making an effort to include both girls in the celebration and not just Rory. Not that the top 12% was anything to sneeze at. Lorelai was immensely proud of her younger daughter and intended to tell her.


	5. Chapter 5: The Rules Are Changing

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Five: The Rules Are Changing

"Thank you again for inviting us to dinner," Logan told Straub and Francine after desert. "It was really nice."

"Anytime," Francine told him warmly, "We're just so happy that Christine had made such good friends."

"I have some work to do in my study," Straub announced, "so I will leave you. Logan, Colin, it was a pleasure to see you again." He nodded at them and then exited.

"I'm going to make it an early night," Francine said apologetically, "Christine said you all have plans for the evening?"

"We'll be going to a party at Seth Kingston's house," Colin confirmed.

"Sounds lovely," Francine said. She turned to Christa. "I'll see in the morning, dear." It was code and meant that Francine didn't care what time Christa came home, but not to make too much noise. She turned to Christopher. "What about you, Christopher? Do you have plans for the evening?"

"I'll chat with the kids for a few minutes and then I have some work to do." He told her.

Francine nodded and then headed upstairs, leaving Christa alone with her father and the boys.

"So, you're going to a party," Christopher began, "will there be adult supervision?"

"Yes." Logan answered before Christa could say anything or question why her father even cared. "Mrs. Kingston will be home."

"Is everyone there college aged?" Christopher asked, not acknowledging Logan's answer.

"No," this time it was Colin who spoke up, "our friends are a variety of ages. Some of us are off to college this fall, but there are several people Christa's age as well."

Christopher nodded and then turned to Christa. "Curfew is one o'clock."

"Excuse?" She asked, staring at him. She didn't have a curfew in Connecticut. Hell, she'd barely had one in California.

"You're sixteen," Christopher reminded her, "one o'clock is a generous curfew. I don't know any of your friends and I don't know their parents, so I think a curfew is reasonable."

"She'll be home by one," Logan assured Christopher before Christa could protest any further.

She bit back her complaint and nodded. "One is fine." She turned to the boys. "We should get going." She looked at her father. "I'll see you in the morning."

He nodded, though Christa had a feeling that he'd be waiting up to make sure she actually was home by one and the idea annoyed her even more than the curfew did. She had no idea what had gotten into Christopher, but she knew that she didn't like it.

* * *

"I don't know what got into my father," Christa complained to Colin later that night, once the party at Seth's was in full swing. She and Colin had snuck off to an empty room for privacy, but she was too irritated at her father to concentrate on anything else. Even Colin.

"He's just being protective," Colin said with a shrug, "It's not unheard of, especially when it comes to pretty teenage daughters. Ok, it's not exactly the normal in our circle, but we all know that you're different."

Christa wasn't ready to be placated. "He's always trusted me before." She complained. "Now he's demanding to meet my friends and giving me a curfew."

"He goes back to Boston on Sunday and you'll be here all summer." Colin reminded her, moving his hands up her back.

"It's not like I'm dating you or Logan." Christa complained. "It felt weird to make you come to dinner with my dad and grandparents."

It had been incredibly weird, actually. Christa knew her grandparents were assessing Logan and Colin as potential boyfriend material and her dad hadn't seemed to buy the 'just friends' thing. Of course, she and Colin weren't just friends, but they weren't dating either.

"Dinner was fine." Colin told her with a shrug. "Logan and I don't mind making nice every so often. We're used to it." He pulled her close and kissed her deeply. "Still want to complain about your father?" He teased when they broke the kiss.

Christa giggled. "No." Colin was doing a pretty good job of distracting her, she admitted silently as she leaned in for another kiss.

"I'm having a BBQ at my place on Sunday," Colin reminded her a few minutes later.

"I remember." Christa assured him.

Colin and Logan and a few of the others had graduated high school and they were enjoying a celebratory weekend. This party was the kick-off and then tomorrow they were off to New York for a night of drunken debauchery and then the BBQ at Colin's, though Christa expected everyone to be quite hung-over.

"It's too bad that you won't be joining us tomorrow night," Colin told her.

"With my father in town, I couldn't risk it." Christa said, rolling her eyes. There was no way her dad would let her head to New York with her friends unchaperoned for the weekend. Not with his new responsible parent-kick. "Besides, I figure I might as well end my year at Chilton with a Chilton party."

Colin nodded and she knew that he wasn't offended that she'd refused his invitation. That was the nice thing about Colin, there was never any jealousy. Christa knew some other girl would accompany him and it didn't bother her. Why should it? She'd be going to the party with Tristan.

"Your dad won't have a problem with Sunday will he?" Colin asked.

Christa rolled her eyes. "I hope not. It's a BBQ and a pool party at your house in the middle of the afternoon. It's not like we'll be alone."

"Unfortunately, no." Colin agreed, "Though I think some private pool parties need to be on the agenda for the summer."

"I like the sound of that," Christa told him, "But that can wait until my father is safely back in Boston." She made a face. "Though I am doing summer program. An extra month of school. In the summer. Shoot me."

"Were your grades that bad?" Colin teased.

"Nah." Christa dismissed. "I mean, I'm not Rory, and I'm definitely not at the top of the class, but I think I did ok." She'd had good grades going into her exams and she felt confident about how she'd done on the exams, so the final result should be fairly high. Just not as high as her sister.

"Then why are you doing summer school?" Colin asked with a shudder.

"My sister guilted me into it." Christa admitted. "She's upset about Boston, so I figured I'd give her a few more weeks of us going to school together."

Christa left Tristan out of the equation, though she wasn't sure why. After all, she and Colin had a no strings relationship and it was no secret that they both dated other people. He knew that she occasionally went out with Robert and it didn't seem to faze him, but for some reason Tristan felt different and Christa felt weird telling Colin about him.

"Your sister must have magic powers," Colin said with a laugh, "I'm not sure anyone could convince me to go school in the summer when I didn't have to. But three times a week for a month isn't too bad. You'll be able to be a good sister and still have plenty of time to enjoy the summer and all the plans we have for it."

Christa laughed. "I can't wait." She leaned into Colin for another kiss. Between Colin and Logan and the gang and Tristan and her mom and Rory, Christa had a feeling that this was going to be the best summer ever.

* * *

Logan had arranged for a driver to bring Christa home and she came in at exactly one a.m. She wasn't even stumbling. She'd been careful not to drink too much because she suspected that her father would be waiting up for her.

Her suspicions turned out to be correct and when she got in the door, she saw Christopher sitting in the living room.

"As you can see, I'm home in time for curfew." Christa told him. "You didn't have to wait up to check on me. It really shows the trust."

"I'm your father," Christopher told her quietly, "I'm allowed to worry about you and I wanted to talk to you. I knew you'd be mad about the curfew."

"I'm not thrilled about the curfew," Christ admitted, "but mostly I'm upset that you just sprung it on me. That's not how we do things."

"I know," Christopher admitted, "I just… It was suggested to me recently that teenagers need boundaries and that as your father, it's my job to make sure you have them."

Christa rolled her eyes. She was sure she knew who had that advice had come from.

"You've always trusted me before," she argued. It was one of the things that made her relationship with her dad so great. They'd always been friends as well as father and daughter.

"I still trust you," Christopher assured her, "I just… I remember being your age, Christa, and I know how powerful hormones can be. I know what it's like with your friends, the lack of rules and how it easy is to listen to your hormones instead of your common sense and make stupid decisions."

"I'm not having sex." Christa told her father with an eye-roll.

Christopher looked relieved. "I'm glad to hear that. Please keep it that way. But I still want peace of mind and that includes a curfew, so that I don't have to worry or stay up all night waiting for you to come home. Is it really the end of the world?"

"No." Christa admitted. It wasn't great, but she could work around it. For the summer it was a non-issue as she knew her grandparents wouldn't enforce it. Everything would be new in Boston anyway, so she could manage around a curfew—besides, she planned on spending lots of time in Connecticut anyway.

"I know I sprung it on you in front of your friends and I'm sorry about that," Christopher apologized. "When you come to Boston, you and I will sit down and figure out some good guidelines." He looked at her. "You're the best thing in my life, Christa, and I don't want to mess it up. I want to be the dad you deserve."

Christa wondered what Sherri had told him that was making him doubt his parenting skills.

"You're great," She told him softly, "I mean, we've always been a team, right?"

"Right." Christopher agreed. He smiled at her. "So did you have fun tonight?"

"Yeah," Christa said with a shrug, "It was a pretty typical party, but it was fun."

She was all for openness with her parents, but since her partying tended to involved large amounts of underage drinking and making out with boys, it was best for everyone if she refrained from going into detail. So she decided to change the subject. "What did you think of Colin and Logan?"

"They seem like nice guys," Christopher told her, "though they remind me a bit of myself at that age, which is terrifying."

Christa laughed. There were definitely some similarities between the boys and teenaged-Christopher and she could understand why her father might find that unsettling. Especially when she was apparently just like Lorelai.

"I just don't want you to repeat my mistakes," Christopher told her, "I know we've always been pals, but I am your father, Christa, and I'm supposed to be watching out for you and making sure you have boundaries and rules and all that jazz and I worry that I've been lax about that. You're a great kid, you really are. I just, I see so much of myself and your mother in you and it terrifies me."

Christa just nodded. She still resented the sudden shift in his parenting style and she suspected his perky new girlfriend was the reason, which she really didn't appreciate, but at the same time she understood where he was coming from.


	6. Chapter 6: Stepping Up His Game

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes

By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Six: Stepping Up His Game

"Your grandparents are requesting your presence at Friday Night dinner this week." Lorelai told Christa on Saturday afternoon.

Instead of hanging out with Christopher and Rory, Christa had driven into Stars Hollow and was hanging out at the inn with Lorelai. She said it was to give her dad and Rory some one-on-one time and it was how they often handled visits. Though, Lorelai suspected that there might be more to it this time, since she'd gotten the impression that Christa was upset with Christophe for some reason.

Christa made a face. "Do I have to?"

"Yes," Lorelai told her, "your grandparents got a hold of Chilton's official end-of-year standings and they are holding a celebration in honor of Rory finishing in the 3% and you finishing in the top 12%."

Christa blinked. "I finished in the top 12%?"

Lorelai grinned. "So you didn't know?"

Christa shrugged. "I didn't really give it much thought. I mean, I knew I passed, and there are a lot of slackers, but I'm an overachiever like Rory or Paris." She made a face. "So I really have to go to dinner?"

"Well, I can't force you, but your grandparents would be very disappointed if you didn't go." Lorelai told her. "And there was also some talk of presents."

"Ok, that sounds tempting." Christa said with a grin.

"You're supposed to bring a friend." Lorelai added. "I'd like to suggest that you ask Logan."

She'd met both Colin and Tristan and Logan was the other prominent male in Christa's life, so Lorelai thought it was time that she met him, so she could at least put a face to the name.

Christa groaned. "Seriously what is up with the parental demands to meet Logan? We're just friends—no fooling around. Well, once, but nothing serious and it won't happen again."

Lorelai filed that information away, but didn't comment on it. She hadn't actually thought there was anything romantic about Christa's relationship with Logan and the denial just confirmed that. "Your relationship might not be romantic, but you're close." Lorelai pointed out. "You talk about him all the time. I'm your mom, I want to meet the people who are important to you."

"I'll check with Logan and see if he'll be willing," Christa said with a sigh, "but I feel bad dragging him to family appearances two weeks in a row. I mean, this is why we all avoid relationships, so we don't have to do stuff like this."

"You're too young to be so jaded," Lorelai told her, "and I'm not implying a relationship and I promise to make sure that your grandparents don't think you're dating Logan. And hey, I'm not suggesting that you bring Colin."

"Well, thank you for that," Christa said with a smile, "I'm not ready to let Grandma know her matchmaking worked. I will talk to Logan. If he's not up for it, I'll bring someone else."

Lorelai was curious as to who that someone else would be, but she really wanted to meet Logan and hoped he'd be agreeable. "Thank you for indulging your mother's whims, I appreciate it. How did dinner with your dad go last night anyway?"

Christa rolled her eyes. "It was fine, except Dad was weird. He's suddenly getting all parental on me. He wants to meet my friends and he even gave me a curfew."

Ok, now Lorelai knew why Christa was irritated with Christopher. Though, Lorelai was kind of impressed that Christopher seemed to be stepping up, though she wondered what had brought on the sudden change.

* * *

Christopher found it strange to be in Lorelai's home, watching their girls get ready to go to a party. The twins were sixteen and yet, there had been so few moments like this. It was probably his biggest regret about how things had ended up, that the girls had been robbed of normal family moments.

"Come let us see," Lorelai demanded as the girls came down the stairs in the dresses she had made. Purple with blue trim for Christa and blue with purple trim for Rory.

Christopher blinked at the sight of them, thrown off by the resemblance. Most of the time, he stopped thinking of them as twins, because they were so different and it was odd to see them looking so alike.

Not identical, of course, since Christa's hair was very different and they carried themselves differently. Christa also had much more dramatic make-up. But the resemblance was so obvious and he realized it had been years since he'd seen them look so much alike.

"Very cute." Lorelai said with a grin, "and you know I think this is the first time you've been in co-ordinating outfits since you were about six. Right, Chris?"

"About that," he agreed, suddenly pictures the twins as little girls. Back then it had been hard to tell them apart, but their personalities were already so different. Rory had been more reserved, cautious, but curious, and Christa… She had had so much energy and a wild streak even then.

He looked from the twins to Lorelai, who was smiling warmly at him, the awkwardness of their last meeting forgotten. In this moment, their romantic history didn't matter, it was their daughters that mattered.

He reminded himself that that was the way it should be. Whatever romantic relationship he and Lorelai had once had was over. The only relationship they had now was that of co-parents and he had slacked in his part of that enough times over the years.

Mostly with Rory, but even with Christa to an extent. He'd taken the easy route with her too often, wanting to be her friend when it was more important to be her parent and that needed to change. Even if he had a feeling that Christa was going to object to those changes.

"I like it," Christa declared, distracting him from his thoughts, "we look like twins, but not in a corny way. Besides, what's the point in having an identical twin if you can't play it up sometimes?"

"It is cute." Rory agreed.

"Picture." Lorelai declared, holding up the camera.

The twins laughed, but dutifully posed.

"I want a copy of that one." Christopher told Lorelai.

"Will do." She promised and then smiled at the twins. "Have fun and don't get in too much trouble." She turned to Rory. "Call me if you'll be later than midnight."

"We won't be later than midnight." Rory said promptly.

Christopher smiled at her response and wished that Christa was that agreeable.

"I'm assuming my curfew is still in effect?" She asked, rolling her eyes.

"Yes." He confirmed. "One o'clock. You'll be taking a cab home?"

He'd driven to Stars Hollow with Rory and would drive back to Hartford with Christa and then dropping her off at the party.

"Yeah," she confirmed, "or I'll get someone to drive me home."

"Someone who hasn't been drinking." Christopher warned.

She made a face. "Obviously. I'm not an idiot."

"Your father's just doing his job," Lorelai defended quietly, "We're the parents, it's our job to make sure that you're safe."

Christopher shot her a grateful smile, glad that she had his back. But then, she always had. Lorelai had always been better at co-parenting than him.

"I'll definitely be home before midnight," Rory repeated, "I can't imagine Dean lasting that long."

"Ah, yes, I forgot that he's going with you." Lorelai said with a grin.

"I can't wait." Christa said with a grin, causing Rory to roll her eyes.

"Is there something special about Dean's presence?" Christopher asked, feeling a little out of the loop.

"It's certainly going to be entertaining," Christa said gleefully, "I heard about the school dance."

Rory made a face. "Don't remind me." She turned to Christopher. "Dean didn't really hit it off with my classmates," she explained, "but I'm sure Tristan won't be so obnoxious this time."

Christa laughed. "Don't count on it. Tristan will still be obnoxious, because that's his default setting, but not because he wants to make out with you. Or at least I hope not."

Ah, yes, Christopher had almost forgotten about Tristan. The other boy that Christa was involved with, well, the other one that she mentioned on a regular basis, as far as he knew there were others. Some parents might be worried by the fact that their daughter was involved with multiple boys, but Christopher was relieved, because as long as she wasn't serious about any one boy there was less chance of her getting into trouble.

Still, there might be multiple boys, but he'd gotten the impression that only two mattered and Tristan was one of those two. However, he didn't worry Christopher as much as Colin did. After all, Tristan wasn't off to college in the fall and he hadn't introduced Christa to a whole new set of friends, who had, after all, encouraged her to steal a car for fun. Besides Rory obviously knew Tristan and she didn't seem to think that he was a bad guy and Christopher trusted her judgement.

"So Tristan's your escort for the night?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah, I mean, he's ok with me seeing other guys, but I think bringing a date to a Chilton party would be a little much." Christa pointed out. She grabbed her purse. "Ok, time to run. Mom, thanks for the dress, I love it. Dad, you ready to go?"

"I'll be there in a minute." Christopher told her.

She nodded and headed for the door. "K. Rory, I'll see you at the party."

"Unfortunately." Rory said with a sigh, but she followed her sister out the door after saying goodbye to Christopher and assuring her mother once again that she would be home by midnight.

Christopher watched the twins go, wondering when they'd grown up. He could still picture the babies in matching outfits that he and Lorelai had brought home from the hospital and yet, somehow they had morphed into these two young women, on the cusp of adulthood.

"Christa says that the rules have been changing," Lorelai said lightly, "Or more accurately, that there are actually rules in place."

"It has been pointed out to me that sixteen year-olds need boundaries and rules and that I haven't been very good at providing Christa with either," Christopher told her and sighed. "Christa was complaining?"

"Of course she was." Lorelai said with a laugh. "But she'll get used to it. I think you're doing the right thing. You don't have to suddenly become super-strict, that would never work, but a curfew and some rules aren't a bad place to start. She's a great kid and she seems to have her head on straight, but at the same time she's sixteen and she has a very sophisticated circle of friends and I worry about her."

"Me too." He admitted, glad that he and Lorelai seemed to be on the same page. "It feels like just yesterday that she was a baby and now she's sixteen. She's always been a good kid and it's been easy to let her do her own thing, but... She's a teenage girl and her friends are all older and she's not telling me as much as she used to, which worries me, and I realized that we need to set up boundaries before it's too late."

"It's the right decision," Lorelai assured him, "even if Christa's bound to hate it for a while. Now you should go before she decides to leave you here."

Christopher grinned and headed for the door. "See you later, Lor."


	7. Chapter 7: Let's Party!

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes

By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Seven: Let's Party

"Hey gorgeous." Tristan greeted Christa with a grin as soon as she walked through the door.

"Were you waiting for me?" She teased.

Tristan shrugged. "There's no one else here who interests me." He told her with a grin. "You know, I could have picked you up."

"Yeah, but my dad is in town and he's gotten all weird," Christa dismissed, "if you'd picked me up, he would have given you the 3rd degree." She neglected to mention that Christopher had met Colin and Logan the night before. There was no reason to share that piece of information, though she found it kind of odd that her father hadn't asked about meeting Tristan.

Tristan accepted her answer at face value and pulled her into his arms for a quick kiss. "Want to go find a nice quiet corner?" He suggested when they pulled apart.

"No, I want to go dance." Christa told him. "After all, we're at a party." She grinned. "Then we'll find a nice quiet corner."

"Your wish is my command." Tristan told her, leading her onto the dance floor.

Christa melted into his arms. She really liked Tristan and it felt so good to be with him. Almost too good. She was very glad that Colin existed, otherwise had the feeling that she'd be in danger of falling for Tristan and strings were not part of her plan.

"Look who just came in," Tristan muttered a moment later. "Why'd she bring him?"

Christa rolled her eyes, knowing he was talking about Rory. "Because he's her boyfriend. You're not going to be a jerk about it, are you?"

"Who me?" Tristan asked innocently. "Of course not, I just think Farm Boy sticks out like a sore thumb."

"Is that jealousy?" Christa demanded. "Because I have no interest in going out with a guy who is hung up on my sister."

"I'm definitely not hung up on Rory," Tristan assured her, looking her directly in the eye. "I mean, yeah, I had a thing for her when she first came to Chilton, but that was before I met you. As I told you before, I prefer spice to sugar."

Christa knew he was telling the truth. After her first weeks at Chilton, Christa hadn't seen any indication that Tristan was interested in Rory at all. He'd even stopped teasing her.

"But you still don't like Dean?"

"I just think she can do better." Tristan said with a shrug. "I mean, he's obviously not in her league. Look at you, look at her, and then look at him. She can do better. You know that. I mean, I don't see you dating any bag boys."

Tristan had a point, at least about Christa. She had a very specific type that she went out with. Boys like Colin or Tristan or Robert. Trust fun brats who lived to break the rules. She wasn't sure if it was a snob thing or simply that those were the types of boys she'd always been exposed to.

However, just because he wasn't her type, it didn't mean that Christa didn't seen the appeal in a guy like Dean. Dean was a very nice, hard-working guy who treated her sister like gold. Christa didn't hold his lack of trust fund him against him and she knew that Rory would never give it a moment's thought.

"Rory and I are very different," Christa pointed out, though she was relieved that Tristan's objection were rooted in snobby, not jealousy. "Dean's a nice guy."

Tristan just shrugged and then he grinned. "We should go greet them."

Christa rolled her eyes at the glee in his voice. "The less of a jerk you are, the better chance you have of finding out what color bra I'm wearing." She whispered.

Tristan grinned. "I'll keep that in mind."

As he took her hand and they headed towards Rory and Dean, Christa wondered if there was any chance of Dean learning the same thing about Rory and decided that the answer was a definite no. While both Gilmore-Hayden twins were virgins, Rory was a lot more pure than Christa. Mary and Magdelene.

Christa and Tristan quickly reached Rory and Dean, who were talking to Louise or Madeline. Or rather, Rory was talking to Madeline and Louise was making a pass at Dean.

"Hey, Ror." Christa greeted. "Hi, Dean."

"Hey Christa." Dean told her and then his eyes narrowed when he noticed Tristan.

"You remember Tristan, right?" Christa asked, leaning into the blond boy, who wrapped an arm around her waist.

"We've met." Dean acknowledged.

"It's nice to see you again." Tristan said politely. He turned to Rory and then blinked. "Nice dress."

"Oh, you guys look alike!" Madeline announced, as if it had just occurred to her.

"It's very quaint." Louise said with a smirk and then turned back to Dean. "Would you like to dance?"

"Uh, um, not really." He said awkwardly. "I'm kind of thirsty."

"Is Paris playing soda monitor again?" Christa inquired.

"Until 10 o'clock." Louise confirmed. She turned to Tristan. "I don't suppose you'll dance with me?"

"No way." Tristan said with a smirk. "I have a dance partner."

Louise rolled her eyes and then flounced away, Madeline trailing after her. Christa suddenly wondered if there was any history between Louise and Tristan. It was certainly possible, though she doubted it. If only because strangely Paris seemed to be the alpha bitch in that friendship and she'd never have forgiven Louise for hooking up with Tristan.

"Speaking of dancing," Tristan said after a moment, breaking up the awkward silence that had developed, "l think I can go for another round."

"Ok." Christa said with a smile, "I'll see you later," she told Rory and Dean as Tristan pulled her back towards the dance floor.

* * *

"So Christa's dating that jerk?" Dean asked as he sipped his soda. They had been at the party for almost twenty minutes and were just standing there, talking to each other. Christa and Tristan were nowhere to be found and Rory hadn't seen anyone else she knew well enough to chat with. She was actually feeling pretty out of place, so she could only imagine how Dean must be feeling.

"Well, she doesn't think he's a jerk," Rory told him, "And she'll be first to say that they're not dating, but… Yes, they go out sometimes."

Dean nodded and then looked around. "Why are we here, Rory?"

"I thought it might be fun." Rory said weakly. "Plus I told Christa I'd come."

Of course, her sister had promptly abandoned her, so it wasn't like they were having quality twin-time.

"Where is the evil twin?" A voice asked from behind her.

Rory turned around to see Paris standing there.

"I can't imagine that she'd skip a party," Paris continued, "after all she's **all** about the party."

"She's around somewhere," Rory said vaguely, deciding it wouldn't be a good idea to tell Paris that her sister was probably off somewhere shoving her tongue down Tristan's throat.

Just then, as if by magic, Christa appeared, hand-in-hand with Tristan.

"I decided I was thirsty." Christa declared. She turned and gave Paris a bright smile. "Paris, how nice to see you."

Paris raised her eyebrow at the sight of Christa. "Matching dresses. How quaint."

"I like it." Tristan said with a grin, letting go of Christa's hand to wrap his arm around her waist. "So alike and yet so different."

"Of course you like it," Paris said pointedly, "I'm sure you're playing out all the disgusting twin fantasies in your head."

Rory blushed while Dean looked uncomfortable at Paris' suggestion. On the other hand, Christa smirked and Tristan simply looked bored.

"Not my cup of tea," he answered with a shrug. "So Dean-o, what are your plans for the summer"

"Just working," Dean said, obviously trying to be polite. "You?"

"Summer school." Tristan said with an eye roll, "then a few weeks in the Hamptons with family and of course, a lot of partying."

"I'm surprised that you're letting school interrupt your partying," Paris said acidly, "oh, wait, that's because the school is forcing you to go to summer school." She turned to Christa. "And you, did you get that polite letter as well?"

"No," Christa told her, "my grades were more than satisfactory. But I am going to summer school for extra credit."

"You mean extra make-out sessions," Paris muttered before flouncing away.

"Do you ever get the feeling that she doesn't like me?" Christa joked.

"Does she like anyone?" Rory asked. She felt a little bad for Paris, despite the fact that Paris often liked to make her life miserable. Still, Paris had a crappy home life, no social skills and an unrequited crush. As awful as she usually was, it was easy to feel bad for her—though Rory knew if Paris detected any sympathy she'd just commit to make her life even **more** miserable.

Christa cast a meaningful look at Tristan and smirked.

He rolled his eyes. "Seriously, it was _one_ date," he complained, "and it was _your_ idea," he reminded Rory.

"What?" Dean asked, looking from Rory to Tristan.

"Rory convinced Tristan to ask Paris out," Christa told him, "it didn't go well and it made Paris even more of a witch to be around."

Dean continued to look confused, obviously trying to figure out where Christa fit into all this, and Rory remembered that it had all gone down after they'd broken up.

"Rory, do you have a minute?" Christa asked, filling the sudden silence.

Rory cast a doubtful look at Tristan and Dean, not really wanting to leave them alone.

"Don't worry, Mary, I don't bite," Tristan assured her, "besides, I have incentive to be nice." He and Christa exchanged a look that Rory couldn't decipher.

"Incentive?" Rory asked as they stepped away from the boys.

Christa just shrugged. "Reward is a good motivator," she answered mysteriously, "anyway, I just wanted to let you know that you don't have to stay at the party for me. Dean is obviously miserable."

"Are you sure?" Rory asked. "I mean, we don't have a lot of time left to hang out together."

"We both know Tristan's going to monopolize me all night," Christa pointed out, "and I don't think hanging out with Tristan will ever be Dean's idea of a good time." Rory laughed, knowing she was right. "Besides, I've got Tristan to be on his best behavior, but that can only last so long."

Rory nodded, knowing that Christa was right. "Can we hang out tomorrow, then?"

"No can do." Christa told her. "I'm going to a BBQ at Colin's, but you can come with me if you want."

Rory wasn't surprised that Christa already had plans. Her sister seemed to have a packed social calendar. Sometimes Rory wondered what it would be like to have life be a constant party, but most of the time she was convinced that she would hate it and was grateful for her quiet life in Stars Hollow.

"I think I'll pass." Rory told her. "Monday?" Summer school ran Tuesday through Thursday.

"I can do Monday," Christa assured her. "It'll be just you and me. I'll even sleep-over Monday night and we can drive to Hartford together."

"Ok," Rory agreed. She gave Christa a quick hug. "Thanks for the out."

"No problem." Christa said with a laugh as they headed back to their dates.

"How do you feel about leaving?" Rory asked Dean quietly, "Maybe going to get some coffee or something before we go home?"

He looked relieved. "Are you sure?" He asked. "I mean, you go to school here, don't you want to stay and socialize?"

"Not really," Rory assured him. She turned to Christa. "I'll see you on Monday." She nodded at Tristan and then led Dean away. She knew that she should go find Louise and say goodbye, but she decided to spare Dean, besides she doubted Louise would care.

As they headed towards Dean's car, Rory wondered if she would have had a better time if she'd come alone. The party had actually been fine, except for the fact that Dean had seemed so uncomfortable and out of place…


	8. Chapter 8: The Ballad of Tristan and Chr

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Eight: The Ballad of Tristan and Christa

"I was polite to the bag boy." Tristan said with a smirk as she pulled Christa into an empty room and locked the door.

She laughed. "Yes, you were." She grinned. "It's purple."

Tristan grinned. "You know, I think I'd like to find out for myself."

"Would you now?" Christa asked as he pushed her backwards onto the couch.

"Oh, yeah." Tristan agreed and then he kissed her deeply.

Christa let the kiss deepen, enjoying the sensation of being in his arms, his lips against her, his hands running through her long hair.

"I'm not having sex with you in Louise's parents den." Christa warned after a few minutes. She believed in putting all her cards on the table.

"I know," Tristan assured her, "Since you won't have sex with me in the privacy of an empty house, I could guarantee that it's not going to happen at a crowded party." He grinned and put his hand on her back, feeling around for the zipper. "But that doesn't mean we can't fool around a bit, right?"

"No, it doesn't." Christa agreed as Tristan started to ease down her dress strap.

"It really is purple," he said with a grin as he revealed her pale purple bra strap.

"Did you expect anything else?" Christa asked, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in close for another kiss.

"No," he told her and then kissed her again, "but that's ok. I like purple. I like purple a lot. Especially when it's on you."

As the kiss deepened and Tristan's hard warmth pressed her onto the couch, his hand massaging her exposed back, Christa had the fleeing thought that she could completely understand how she'd come to exist.

The combination of being sixteen and hormones and genuine affection was incredibly intoxicating. Christa was constantly aware how easy it would be to lose herself in Tristan or Colin and take things to their natural conclusion.

Really, the only thing stopping her was the knowledge of her parents' mistake and how a teenage pregnancy could irrevocably change your life. She knew her parents loved her and Rory, but it had still had long-term consequences, and Christa was sure that even her parents would admit that their lives would have been easier if Lorelai hadn't gotten pregnant.

Christa knew that she wasn't prepared to be a teenage mother. She didn't have her mother's strength and resolve and she doubted it would turn as well for her as it had for Lorelai and that thought…

Well, it was enough to make her very cautious about sex and the consequences that came with it. At least, for now, as Tristan continued to kiss her, Christa acknowledged the very real desire to throw caution to the wind and take this further and she wondered how long it would be before she gave into that desire…

* * *

"So Tristan's really into Christa?" Dean asked over coffee. They had stopped at a 24-hour coffee shop before heading home since they had hours before curfew. "I thought he liked you."

"He might have." Rory acknowledged. "But that was before Christa. And no, it's not because she's my twin," Rory told him before he could even suggest it, "he doesn't even look at me anymore. It's just her. He's crazy about her. I actually feel bad because I think he likes her more than she likes him."

She knew Christa was seeing other guys, namely Colin, but she hadn't hear anything about Tristan seeing anyone else since he and Christa hooked up again. Though, it could be that he was like Christa and had just decided to keep it away from Chilton.

Dean made a face. "Please don't make me feel sorry for him."

Rory laughed. "Sorry. I know he's a jerk, but he's different around Christa."

"I think Gilmore girls have a way of bringing the best out in people," Dean told her sincerely.

Rory blushed at the compliment.

"What's the story with Tristan and Paris?" Dean asked after a moment.

Rory sighed. "Tristan and Christa got all hot and heavy, but Christa doesn't do strings, so she ended up making out with Colin. Tristan found out and freaked out and they stopped seeing each other. He was really upset and I felt bad for him, so I suggested that he go out with a girl who would appreciate him—Paris."

"I take it, it didn't go well?" Dean asked, obviously amused by the idea of Paris and Tristan together.

"No," Rory admitted, "Tristan has zero interest in Paris and he told her as much, but also that the date was my idea. Which means that Paris hates me even more now, plus Christa was really mad at me for interfering."

"So she does like Tristan?" Dean asked. "I mean, they obviously got back together."

"They did," Rory confirmed, "but they agreed to keep it casual and she's still seeing other people. It's obvious that Christa really cares about Tristan, but she also really cares about Colin and there lies the problem."

As much as her sister claimed that she wasn't interested in commitment, Rory thought that the right guy could change that. The problem was, who was the right guy? Christa might date a few different guys, but it seemed like there were only two guys in her life that really mattered and it seemed inevitable that she would have to choose between them eventually.

"Who do you like better?"

"I've never met Colin," Rory told him. Though from what she knew of him, she wasn't sure she would like him. It seemed like Colin was rich, irresponsible and a wild party boy who was incapable of commitment and who persuaded her sister to make bad choices. And none of those qualities were positives in Rory's book. Still, Christa seemed to be crazy about him.

"I don't know any of Christa's friends, actually," Rory admitted, "Except the ones she's made at Chilton."

And those were superficial friendships at best. It was Colin, Logan and the others who were Christa's true friends and Rory barely knew anything about them. It was a reminder of how separate their lives really were. They were twins, but in many ways, they came from different worlds.


	9. Chapter 9: Let Summer Fun Begin

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Nine: Let the Summer Fun Begin

"Did your dad give you a hard time about today?" Colin asked when Christa arrived at his place on Sunday afternoon.

She had arrived a couple hours earlier than the official start-time, at Colin's request, and that meant she was one of the first guests. Only Logan and Daniel Prescott, who Christa didn't know that well, were there. The three guys were chilling in the pool house as the servants set up for the actual party.

"No," Christa said with a shrug, "He's on his way back to Boston. Besides, why would he object? It's a daytime BBQ, it doesn't actually scream drunken debauchery."

"No, but that would make it more fun." Logan told her with a grin as he came to greet her. "We missed you last night, by the way."

"Did you guys have fun?" She asked, dropping her bag on the ground and plopping down on one of the couches.

"It was not the most successful outing we've ever had," Logan admitted, exchanging a look with Colin and Daniel. "Jonathan got into a fight and got us all kicked out of the first club. Then Stephanie's fake ID got flagged at the second club. Luckily they just kicked us out instead of calling the police."

"She was pissed," Daniel interjected with a grin. "Logan made her go back to the hotel."

"I wasn't going to risk us all getting arrested," Logan pointed out, "It's her fault for getting an inferior fake ID after her parents confiscated her last one."

Christa couldn't help but laugh. She could picture the blonde's reaction and she was very sorry that she had missed it.

"Then my date and Colin's got totally wasted and they both threw up all over the third club and then passed out in the limo." Logan finished, making a face. "So, I've definitely had better nights."

"I'm not sure if I should be sad or glad that I missed out," Christa told them with a laugh.

"I'm sad." Colin declared, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "If nothing else, I'm confident that you wouldn't have thrown up on my shoes."

Christa giggled. "I usually try to avoid that," she said with a grin. "I take it you won't be calling this girl again?"

"No way," Colin denied adamantly, "I prefer girls who can hold their liquor." He grinned at her as he said it, his eyes warm and affectionate.

"It's a skill." Christa said with a laugh. It actually had to do with the fact that her parents were very much in the picture and going home stumbling drunk was not cool. Even before Christopher's new resolve, there had been limits, and so Christa had learnt early to pace herself. Drink enough to have fun, but not enough that she'd be grounded for life.

"Did you have a fun time at your party?" Logan asked her.

"I did." Christa told him. "It wasn't as exciting as your night. No one threw up on my shoes and there were no fist fights. Rory did bring her boyfriend and it was entertaining to see how out of place he was."

"Oh?" Daniel asked. "What's wrong with her boyfriend?"

"Nothing's wrong with him," Christa answered, "Dean's a great guy. Sweet and hard-working and he adores Rory. But he doesn't fit into the private school world."

"This was Rory's first year at private school, right?" Colin asked.

"Yeah," Christa confirmed, "not only that, Mom's kept her far away from the society life. She only goes to Chilton because she has her heart set on Harvard and my mother wants the best for her, even if it means exposing her to the life she ran away from."

"You and your sister weren't raised together, then?" Daniel asked, obviously curious.

Christa knew that her background was a source of intrigue to most of her friends. After all, she was the daughter of the legendary Lorelai Gilmore, who had gotten pregnant as a teenager and ran away from the society life. Most people didn't know any of the details, though.

"No, we weren't," Christa answered, "My parents never married and they each raised one of us. My mom got Rory and my dad got me and that meant that Rory was raised far away from high society, while I've been groomed to be a society brat."

"Maybe, but you're so much more fun than your typical society girl." Logan assured her.

"Thank goodness," Christa answered with a grin. She stood up off the couch and grabbed her bag. "If this is a pool party, then I should probably be properly attired."

The boys were in swim trunks, but she was still fully clothed.

"I like the sound of that." Colin told with a grin.

Christa laughed and then headed towards one of the bedrooms so she could change into her swimsuit.

* * *

"Is your curfew still in effect?" Logan inquired later that afternoon.

The party was in full swing and there were tons of people in the pool, though Christa hadn't actually gone in yet. She was happy lazing around in her cute pink bikini, chatting to people.

"No," she told him, "my grandparents assured me that they trust me and they don't see the point in enforcing a curfew." Part of Christa wondered if her grandparents should really be openly undermining Christopher's rules, but since it worked in her favor, she wasn't going to complain. "I told Francine that I'd probably stay late and hang out. She knows where I am and that's what she cares about."

It was technically a daytime party, but Christa was sure that it would roll over into a late-night thing since school was out. Really, she expected the summer to be one long party and she couldn't wait.

"Are you still upset at your dad?" Logan asked as he took a sip of his drink.

Christa shrugged. "I'm not thrilled," She admitted, "But I know I can't be too mad at him for acting like a parent." She made a face. "Mostly I'm upset because I think it's his new girlfriend who is persuading him to change things."

"Not a fan of?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I've only met her once," Christa told him, "But she's very perky and very eager to be involved. Plus Sherri is only about 10 years older than me. I mean, my parents are barely old enough to actually be my parents and sometimes they have a hard time being parental. Besides, I already have a mom and she's awesome."

"Ah, yes, the famous Lorelai Gilmore," Logan said with a grin, "I have to admit, I've been curious about your mom since I realized who you were. She's a bit of a legend."

"How would you like to have dinner with her on Friday?" Christa asked him with a grin, realizing this was the perfect opportunity to bring it up. Logan looked so surprised, so she sighed and elaborated, "Emily and Richard are throwing a small celebration for Rory and I because of our end of year grades, more Rory than me but I think they're so stunned that I didn't fail that they're including me. Apparently we're supposed to bring guests and my mom requested that I invite you."

Logan looked surprised. "Me?"

"Yeah," Christa confirmed, "She says that since we're such good friends and I talk about you so often, she'd like to meet you, since she's already met Colin. I assured her that we're not hooking up, so you don't have to worry about that."

Logan laughed. "Good to know." He shrugged. "Sure. I don't have any specific plans for Friday and I'm definitely interested in meeting your mom and your sister. Especially your sister, it'll be my chance to see for myself how different you are."

"See how different who is?" Colin asked, approaching them.

"Rory and Christa." Logan answered with a grin. "Christa's roping me into another command appearance, this time with the Gilmores and her mom and Rory will be there."

"Any particular reason?" Colin asked her.

"My grandparents are throwing a special dinner for Rory and I and wanted us to bring friends," Christa explained, "my mom suggested that I invite Logan because she hasn't met him yet."

"Logan shouldn't get all the fun," Colin protested, to Christa's surprise. She wouldn't normally consider dinner with her grandparents to be 'fun'. "Do you think they'd care if I came too?"

"They'd be fine with it," Christa told him and then she laughed, "Though that means I'd have to admit to Emily that her set-up worked. I haven't actually told her that we've become friends."

"Ashamed of me?" Colin teased.

"No," Christa assured him, "if you really want to come, I'll call my grandmother tomorrow and let her know."

Colin grinned. "Great. I'm looking forward to meeting the mysterious Rory." He leaned down and kissed her, dripping all over her in the process.

"You're getting me wet!" She squealed.

"It's a pool party, getting wet is kind of the point," he teased and then, before she knew what was happening, he was picking her up and heading towards the pool. "It's time you joined the fun."

"Colin!" She screamed as he jumped into the water with her in his arms. She braced herself for the shock and then started laughing once she'd recovered. "I'm going to get you for that," she warned, splashing him in the face.

Colin just laughed and splashed her back and then others around them got involved and soon it was a giant splash war with everyone laughing and having a great time.

* * *

"Today was fun," Christa told Colin later that night, resting her head against his shoulder.

The pool portion of the party was long over and some people had left, though others were sticking around to keep the party going as long as possible. Some people were playing pools, others had started a card game and some were just hanging around talking. Christa and Colin were curled up together in a big chair, just relaxing.

"The whole summer will be like this," Colin promised her, "And then once we get to Yale in the fall, the parties will be even better."

Christa sighed. "I'm so jealous," she told him, "you guys are going to have the best time."

She knew that when Rory dreamed of college, she dreamed about higher learning, but for Christa, college represented freedom and what would likely be the best party years of her life. Colin and Logan got to start those years now, while she had to put up with two more years of high school, including yet another new school.

"Well, you're going to visit us," Colin pointed out, "Logan and I have been talking about it. We figure that if you come up once a month or so, it'll give you a chance to see all that college has to offer and it'll help influence you to choose Yale."

"That would be _amazing_ ," Christa agreed, "You sure you'll want me around?" She asked teasingly. "After all, you'll be busy making your way through all those college girls."

Colin laughed. "I'll take a break every so often," he assured her, "you're not just another girl, Christa. I mean, I like you, I like you a lot, but it's more than just hooking up. We're friends and I like just hanging out with you. So does Logan and we both plan on keeping you around for a long time. You're stuck with us."

"I'm glad," she told him with a smile, "I mean, you guys are probably the best friends I've ever had." She made friends relatively easy, but most of those friendships were shallow, easily discarded when she had to pick up and move, and she always held something of herself back. It wasn't like that with Colin and Logan. "It scares me a little. I mean, eventually this thing between us has to burn itself out and I worry that when it happened it'll be awkward and we'll stop being friends."

"That won't happen," Colin assured her, "I value our friendship too much to let it. Besides, we're on the same page, neither of us wants strings, and if one of us decides it's time to move on, I'm sure the other will be ok with it."

Christa nodded, though it was weird to think of no longer being involved with Colin. Still, she knew that the time would come. It had to. Though, given how she felt whenever she was with, she doubted it would be any time soon.

"Right now, though, I'm still very interested," Colin continued, as if reading her mind. "That's the only difference between you and Logan, really. I can tell either of you anything and I love hanging out with you both, but I don't have any desire to make out with Logan."

Christa laughed. "Good to know." She leaned up for a kiss which Colin quickly deepened.

She couldn't think of a better ending to a perfect and as Colin had said, it was just the beginning. Christa had a feeling that this was going to be one of the best summers of her life and next year… Well, next year was going to be a whole new adventure.


	10. Chapter 10: Relationships Are Complicate

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Ten: Relationships Are Complicated

Instead of calling her grandmother, Christa decided to stop by and ask her in person. So, on Monday morning she stopped at the Gilmore mansion before she headed to Stars Hollow.

"Is Mrs. Gilmore in?" She asked the maid.

"Yes, she is," the maid confirmed, "May I tell her, who's here to see her?"

"Tell her it's Christa."

The maid nodded and led Christa into the living room.

A moment later Emily appeared. "Christa! What a lovely surprise."

"Hi Grandma." Christa said, giving Emily a kiss on the cheek. "I hope you don't mind me stopping by. Mom said that you wanted me to come to dinner on Friday."

"Yes," Emily confirmed, "We're so proud of you and Rory. Making in into the top 12% is an accomplishment to be proud of, especially since you moved halfway through the school year." Emily looked Christa in the eye. "We are as proud of you as we are Rory, Christa. I hope you know that."

Christa blushed. "Thank you." Sometimes she definitely felt like her Gilmore grandparents favored her sister and it bothered her, but since her Hayden grandparents didn't even acknowledge that Rory existed, she didn't feel like she could complain.

"As I told your mother, we want you and Rory to each invite some friends," Emily told her.

"Actually, that's why I came by. I wanted to make sure that I could invite two people."

"Anyone I know?" Emily inquired. "Lorraine DuGray was telling me that you've been seeing a lot of her son Tristan."

"We're friends," Christa said non-committedly, "but he isn't the friend I had in mind. I actually wanted to invite my friends Logan and Colin. You know them both. Logan Huntzberger and Colin McCrae."

Emily smiled, but if she was celebrating the fact that she had been the one to introduce Colin and Christa, she didn't mention it. "Yes, I know them both," she said instead, "They are delightful young men. Of course you can bring them. So you've been seeing a lot of them?"

"They're probably my two closest friends in Hartford," Christa told her, "They've really helped me fit in and they've introduced me to a ton of people."

"I'm glad you've made such good friends," Emily said with a smile, "would you like to stay and have some tea with me and tell me all about it?"

"I can't," Christa apologized, "I'm on my way to Stars Hollow to see Rory."

Emily accepted the refusal with a nod. "I won't keep you then. Please remind Rory that we want her to bring a friend or two with her on Friday."

"I will." Christa promised. "I'll see you on Friday, Grandma."

As she left, she couldn't help but think about how pleasant the encounter with her grandmother had been. Her relationship with Emily wasn't as awful as Lorelai's, but it had never been as good as Rory's, either, so this had been a nice change of pace.

* * *

"Sorry I'm late," Christa apologized when she arrived at the Gilmore house, "I stopped to see Emily."

"Why?" Rory asked in surprise. She occasionally stopped into see her grandparents, but she wasn't sure that Christa ever had before. Christa tended to avoid the Gilmores, unless she was specifically commanded to attend Friday Night Dinner.

"I wanted to make sure it was ok if I brought two people on Friday," Christa told her, "Mom told me that I was supposed to bring a guest, but since I'm bringing two, I wanted to clear it with Grandma."

"Who are you bringing?" Rory asked curiously. Would it be Colin or Tristan? Though Christa had said **two** guests. Was she bringing them both? That would certainly make dinner more interesting.

"Colin and Logan."

Ah, the mysterious Logan. That made sense. Logan was clearly one of Christa's closest friends and it appeared that he and Colin were close, since Christa often mentioned them together.

"Mom said she wanted to meet Logan," Christa explained, "So she pressured me to invite him and then Colin kind of invited himself along."

Hmm. That was interesting. Rory knew that Christa and Colin had a no-strings relationship and that Colin definitely saw other girls since Christa had mentioned it in passing, so it seemed unlikely that he'd be jealous, but then why else would he invite himself along?

Maybe he just didn't like the idea of Logan and Christa, which would be reasonable if he and Logan were that close. Though, while Christa mentioned Logan all the time, Rory had never got the impression that he was one of her hook-ups. But Christa also down-played that part of her life, so Rory didn't know for sure.

"I invited Dean," she told her sister, "I'd like him to meet Grandpa."

Christa looked surprised and then nodded. "That makes sense. What did you guys end up doing after you left the party?"

"We went to a coffee shop and talked," Rory told her. "You and Tristan?" Though she was fairly certain she knew the answer.

"Made out in Louise's father's den," Christa told her, "Oh and we danced a bit more."

That was pretty much what Rory had expected. "You didn't want to invite him on Friday?"

Christa shrugged. "It's not that kind of relationship. Besides, Mom suggested Logan and Logan and Tristan would be weird."

Rory decided to change the subject. "Max picked out a ring. He's giving it to her tonight."

"Yay!" Christa said happily. "Pretty?"

"1920s, a little Deco-ish." Rory reported.

Christa nodded. "Nice. Very Mom."

"Are you ok with Mom and Max?" Rory asked. Her parents ending up together had always been her dream and she knew that Christa shared her feelings.

"Yeah," Christa said, "I like Max. He's a good guy." She sighed. "I mean, I wish Mom and Dad would end up together, but they've had seventeen years and it hasn't happened and I guess that means it wasn't mean to." Christa made a face. "Don't tell Mom, but Dad has a new girlfriend. Her name is Sherri and she's super perky. I kind of hate her."

Rory laughed. Though she found it interesting that Christa had such a strong opinion about her already since Christa had been so accepting of Max and she'd never had an issue with any of Christopher's previous girlfriends, or if she had, she'd kept it to herself.

"Why can't I tell Mom?" Rory asked. "She has Max, I doubt she'll care."

Christa shrugged. "No idea, but Dad said not to. I think he's worried she'll lecture him about exposing me to someone new, etc. He'll tell her when he's ready."

"Ok," Rory agreed, but she thought it was weird. But then, her parents were often weird, especially when it came to one another.

* * *

When Lorelai got home from work, she found her daughters pouring over wedding magazines.

"Aren't you two a little young to be wedding planning?" She joked. "I'd like you at least graduate high school before you run off and get married, ok?"

Really she wanted them to be much older than that. She wanted them to graduate college and get a chance to see the world and figure out who they were as adults and then they could get married.

"Damn, there goes my plans to run off to Europe and get married on my 18th birthday," Christa said with a laugh. "We were just trying to get ideas for your wedding."

"Do I get a say?" Lorelai asked with a grin. Her wedding. She liked the sound of that.

"Of course," Rory assured her, "We were just gathering ideas."

"Most I was looking at bridesmaid dresses." Christa told her. "We want to avoid anything ugly." She smiled at her mom. "I know you'll make the dresses, but I figured inspiration is good."

"Inspiration **is** good." Lorelai agreed. She'd decided on Sookie as her Maid of Honour and the twins as her bridesmaids. "I can put you in matching dresses." She realized, looking at them both.

Christa grinned. "It'll be cute."

Yes, it would, Lorelai agreed silently. Her two beautiful girls. So alike on the outside and so different on the inside.

"What do you have in mind?" Lorelai asked, happy to go along with their vision. Sookie would obviously have input as well, but her dress could be slightly different.

"I like this one best," Christa answered as Lorelai joined them on the couch. She pointed to a picture.

"I like this one better." Rory added, pointing to another magazine.

"What do you like best about the dresses?" Lorelai asked. "Maybe we can come up with something in the middle?" The dress Rory liked was more modest than the one Christa picked and the material was different, but they both had flowing skirts, which Lorelai figured was a good starting point.

The twins began explaining what they were looking for and Lorelai listened, getting ideas, and as she did, it was starting to sink in. This was real. She was getting married.


	11. Chapter 11: Dinner With the Gilmores

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Eleven: Dinner with the Gilmores

Lorelai, Rory and Dean arrived at the Gilmore House on Friday night promptly at 7. Lorelai did not personally have high hopes for this evening, but she wasn't sharing that with Rory or Dean, because she didn't want to upset Rory or scare Dean. Besides maybe she was wrong and the dinner would be ok. Anything was possible.

"Well, hello there!" Emily said, answering the door. She turned to Dean, a polite smile on her face. "Hello."

"Grandma, you remember Dean, right?" Rory introduced as they came inside.

"Yes, of course," Emily said politely. "Nice to see you again."

Lorelai let a little sigh of relief. Ok, her mother was playing nice. This was good.

"Thanks," Dean said politely. "Uh, your house is great. It's huge. I've never seen a house this huge before."

"Well thank you." Emily said dryly. "So few people bother to notice the hugeness of the house anymore."

As far as remarks went that was pretty tame for Emily, so Lorelai decided to let it go. However, she knew she needed to come to Dean's aid before anything else could be said, so she jumped in. "Mom, it was so nice of you to tell Rory to invite a friend tonight, seeing as this is her night." She praised, mostly to remind her mother that this night was about Rory. Well, and Christa, but Lorelai had no doubt that her mother would be nice to Logan. "That was really nice of you."

"It was my pleasure." Emily said and then turned to them. "Well, don't just stand there. We have a celebration to attend. Come in, come in."

"Christa's not here yet?" Lorelai asked as they settled in the living room

"Obviously not." Emily said dryly. "I'm sure she'll be here soon. What would everyone like to drink?"

"I'll have a white wine and Dean'll have a beer." Lorelai said mischievously.

Dean's eyes widened. "What?!"

"Corona, right?" Lorelai teased.

"No, I don't want a beer!" Dean exclaimmed. "I don't drink beer. I'll have water or soda or anything. Or nothing. Not beer. Never beer. Beer is… Beer is bad."

Lorelai had to bite back laughter. She felt bad for putting him on the spot, but she was hoping to ease the tension and make Emily a little sympathetic.

"Relax Dean, that's just Lorelai's little sense of humor." Emily assured him, Lorelai's plot seeming to work. "You're very cruel."

Lorelai smirked. "Well, yes, it helps keep me young."

"Soda Dean?" Emily asked after a moment.

"Yes please," he said gratefully.

"Rory?"

"Oh, I'll have a beer." Rory said with a straight face causing Lorelai to burst out laughing. To her surprise, her mother did as well. "I'm sorry Dean," Rory apologised, "they're not laughing at you."

"Oh, wait, I think I was." Lorelai admitted.

"Me too, a little." Emily said with a smile. Her demeanor was warm though and Lorelai thought her little joke had worked at breaking the ice and putting Dean at ease. Maybe this dinner wouldn't be as painful as she thought.

Just then her father entered. "Oh, Richard, there you are," Emily greeted as she handed everyone their drink. "Come join us."

"Grandpa, hi!" Rory said, getting up. "This is Dean. Dean, this is my Grandpa."

There was so much hope on Rory's face as she introduced them. She loved Richard so much; she thought he hung the moon. They had gotten so close this last year and Christopher was barely involved in her life, so Richard filled that void and Lorelai knew how much it meant to Rory that he approve of her boyfriend, so she held her breath.

Dean got up as well. "Hi."

"Hello." Richard said coldly.

Dean held out his hand. "It's nice to meet…"

Richard ignored his hand and turned to Emily. "Does everyone have drinks?"

Lorelai watched the scene, fighting back the desire to cringe. This was not going to go the way Rory hoped. Not at all.

Just then the doorbell rang. Emily leapt up.

"That must be Christa!" She said eagerly.

A moment later, she returned, accompanied by Christa and two young men. One Lorelai recognized as Colin, meaning the other was Logan. She had known Logan was coming, but she hadn't realized Colin was as well. She wondered if there was any particular reason he had ended up tagging along.

Richard walked over to greet them. "Colin, Logan, how nice to see you both again." He said warmly, making his attitude towards Dean even more obvious.

"Logan, Colin, this is my mother Lorelai, my sister Rory and Rory's boyfriend Dean," Christa introduced, "Mom, Rory, Dean, I'd like you to meet my friends Logan and Colin."

"Nice to see you again, Miss Gilmore," Colin said politely.

"Call me Lorelai," Lorelai told him with a smile.

Logan also issued a polite greeting and then they all sat down. Lorelai noted with interest, that Colin positioned himself between Logan and Christa.

"Can I get you a drink?" Richard offered once the trio was settled.

"Soda, please." Christa said and Logan and Colin echoed her.

Lorelai looked from Rory and Dean to Christa and her companions and took a big sip of wine. This was going to be an interesting night. That was for sure.

* * *

"I wouldn't have missed this for the world," Colin whispered to Christa at one point during dinner.

Christa had to admit, it was entertaining. Richard was incredibly cold to Dean, while Lorelai and Emily tried to make peace, but at the same time incredibly warm to Colin and Logan. It was definitely awkward.

"What are you two whispering about?" Emily asked with a smile.

"I was just telling Christa that this was the first time I've ever had Beefaroni," Colin said smoothly.

Emily and Richard had made a big deal about serving her and Rory's favorites. For Rory that meant Beefaroni and for Christa, lasagna and garlic bread. At least it tied together well.

"Antonia thought I'd gone insane," Emily confided.

"Well…" Lorelai teased.

"No one needs a comment from you." Emily said sternly.

"No, I was just gonna say, what's the secret?" Lorelai asked.

"Well, let's just say it's not beef," Emily told her.

Christa was about to grab another bite of Beefaroni and decided to go for the lasagna instead.

She noticed Logan and Colin doing the same.

"Oh, okay. I'm done." Lorelai said.

"Me too." Rory agreed.

"Well, have more lasagna then." Emily instructed.

"This is fantastic Grandma." Christa told her. "Thank you for going to all this trouble."

"Yes, the food is fantastic, Emily." Logan complimented.

"Anything for my girls," Emily said with a smile. She turned to Dean. "Would you like some more?"

"No, thanks," Dean said awkwardly.

He had been pretty quiet throughout dinner, probably because Richard had been so cold. Christa felt pretty bad for him actually, even if it was entertaining as a bystander.

"Well, then I guess it must be present time." Emily said with an excited smile.

"You didn't have to." Rory said shyly.

"Of course we did." Emily said and she picked up two wrapped gifts from the side table and handed one to each twin. "Congratulations, we're so proud of you both."

"Thanks Grandma. Thanks Grandpa." Rory said warmly and Christa echoed her.

They both opened their gifts. A fancy pen.

"It's beautiful," Rory said with a smile.

"Yes, a very nice pen." Christa agreed, though she'd been hoping for something a little more exciting.

"A top student deserves the top tools." Emily told them. "However, there is something else for each of you, but we'll get it after desert."

"Desert?" Lorelai asked, perking up. The pens apparently hadn't interested her any more than they had Christa. Though Christa was still holding out hope for the "something else".

"Cheesecake and Twinkies." Emily informed her.

Christa blinked. Twinkies?

"What?" Lorelai asked, echoing her thoughts.

"Twinkies are Rory's favorite desert and cheesecake is Christa's." Emily commented.

"There are some definite differences in your taste and your sister's." Logan whispered into Christa's ear.

She nodded. She did enjoy Beefaroni and Twinkies, but they weren't in any way her favorites. It probably came down to how she was raised, Christopher didn't live off junk food the way Lorelai did so Christa had had less exposure. It was just one of the many differences between her and Rory.


	12. Chapter 12: Expectations

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Twelve: Expectations

Lorelai was glad dinner was almost over. Her father had been in an odd mood, cold to Dean and warm to Christa's friends, but mostly silent. Christa's friends had been fine, polite, though Lorelai had a feeling they found the whole atmosphere amusing. Not that she could blame them entirely, if she was an outsider she might find black humor in it too.

"So, Dean, where are you planning on going to college?" Richard asked, suddenly directing his attention to Dean.

"Oh, uh, well, I…" Dean stuttered.

"Geez Dad, start off with 'what's your favorite baseball team' or something." Lorelai criticized, preparing to jump in and defend Dean.

"I'm talking to Dean." Richard said curtly.

"I don't know yet." Dean admitted.

"You don't?" Richard asked, raising an eyebrow. He turned to Colin and Logan. "You both will be attending Yale, correct?"

"Yes, sir," Logan answered, though Lorelai noted he sent Dean an apologetic look.

"In the fall," Christa interjected, "It's different than knowing two years in the future."

Richard gave her a look. "You will be attending an Ivy League school, will you not, Christa?"

She shrugged. "If I don't run off and elope with some cute guitar player or decide to party my way through Europe instead."

Lorelai repressed a grin. That was her smart-aleck kid. Though it was kind of odd that Christa was the one speaking up in Dean's defense. Rory just looked tortured, but then Rory idolized Richard, so this might be particularly weird for her.

Logan and Colin were silent, just watching the interplay. They weren't rushing to Dean's defense, but it probably wouldn't help anyway and they weren't making the situation worse, which Lorelai appreciated.

"Well, even if that does come to pass, Rory will be going to an Ivy League school," Richard said decisively. He looked at Dean again. "Were you aware of that?"

"Yes." Dean answered.

"You need top grades to get into a top school," Richard added, "what kind of grades do you get?"

Lorelai winced. God this was awful. Poor Dean. She looked at Christa's friends and saw that they no longer appeared to be enjoying the evening—even the spoiled rich boys seemed a little uncomfortable with the attack.

"Richard, please don't grill the boy." Emily interjected.

"I'm not grilling the boy, Emily." Richard dismissed. "It's an easy question. A's, B's, C's?"

"I get a mixture, actually." Dean admitted.

"Mixture?" Richard asked with a laugh. "What's the ratio?"

"Richard." Emily said, again stepping in.

Lorelai was actually proud of her mom, though she knew it was more because of the idea of causing a scene than real concern for Dean. Or it might be Rory's look of silent horror that was motivating Emily.

"I'm just trying to get to know the boy, Emily." Richard defended. "After all, Rory brings home a young man to dinner, the least we can do is learn something about him."

"I get a couple A's, couple B's, few C's." Dean admitted.

"Really?" Richard asked and there was a world of feeling in that one word.

Lorelai was transported back to all the times she'd disappointed her parents and as awful as those memories were she didn't think they were as awkward and uncomfortable as this one dinner was turning out to be. Except maybe when she'd told them she was pregnant.

"I'm not great at math." Dean said, starting to sound a little defensive.

"Yeah, except who is really?" Lorelai interjected, feeling like she had to come to Dean's rescue. "You know, except mathematicians or the blackjack dealers, or I guess Stephen Hawking doesn't suck…"

"Christa, what are your grades like?" Richard said, directing his attention to his youngest granddaughter.

"Richard, don't you think we should get the girls their other gifts?" Emily interjected.

He ignored her and continued looking pointedly at Christa, obviously expecting an answer.

Lorelai knew the point he was trying to prove, Christa was the under-achiever, compared to Rory and yet her grades were still excellent. But then, while Christa was the wild child, there were still things that were expected of her and there was an unspoken agreement: she could party and do her own thing, as long as she lived up to those expectations.

"Uh…" Christa said, looking on the spot. "Mostly A's." She admitted. "I got a B in history, I think, and maybe science."

Richard nodded. "Because top schools require top grades." He repeated. "I don't have to add that Rory's grades are excellent."

"Rory's really smart." Dean said, acting a look her way. "So's Christa."

"Yes, Rory is really smart." Richard agreed, glaring at Dean.

"Mom?" Rory asked timidly, finding her voice.

"Yeah, why don't we all go sit in the…" Lorelai started, trying to figure out how to end this nightmare.

"So, how are you planning to make a living once you graduate from this college you haven't thought anything about yet?" Richard asked Dean, cutting Lorelai off.

"Grandpa, can we talk about something else?" Rory pleased.

"I'm going to get the other gifts for the girls." Emily said quietly and got up.

"I asked you a question." Richard reminded Dean.

"I don't know what I want to do." Dean admitted.

"You know, when I was ten years old, I knew exactly where I wanted to work." Richard told him dismissively. "I knew I wanted to go to Yale, and put on a nice suit every day and be a very important man in a very powerful firm. And I knew I wanted to travel and see the world."

"Well, that's great." Dean said quietly, not looking directly at Richard. Lorelai didn't blame him, this probably wasn't he had been expecting.

"Colin and Logan know what they want to do with their lives." Richard said, drawing them back into the conversation. "They both have clear career goals and know what they will be doing after Yale."

The boys remained silent, but Lorelai could tell from the expression on Logan's face that he didn't exactly agree with Richard's assessment. She made a note to ask Christa about that later. If they made it out of this dinner in one piece.

"I wanted to see La Traviata at the La Scala Opera house. I wanted to walk the ruins of Pompeii. I wanted to travel the Far East…" Richard continued.

"And be a ballerina or a fireman." Lorelai quipped.

Her father glared at her. "Lorelai, this isn't funny."

"It's a little funny to think of a ten-year-old kid dreaming of the La Scala Opera house." Lorelai pointed out.

"Rory wants those things." Richard pointed out. "Rory wants to travel. Rory has plans."

"Rory's special." Lorelai said softly.

"Yes!" Richard agreed. "Exactly. Rory _is_ special."

Lorelai knew that was the heart of the issue. Rory **was** special, particularly to Richard and that made him very protective. Even if he had a terrible way of showing it.

"Well, I know that Rory is special." Dean said quietly.

Just then Emily returned, carrying a book and a beautiful leather bag. "I have them."

Lorelai knew instantly which gift was for which girl. A book was always a hit with Rory and the gorgeous bag was obviously for Christa. The girls took their gifts quietly, barely even glancing at them.

"Dean is special too, Grandpa." Rory said quietly, finding her voice.

"Rory." Dean said softly, but she ignored him.

"You don't even know him." Rory pointed out.

"I know enough." Richard told her. He looked at her. "This family has standards. You live up to them. Your sister lives up to them. And you should both expect everyone that you spend time with live up to them also." He looked at Christa. "Christa knows that, Christa chooses her company wisely. You need to do the same. You are a gifted girl with immense promise, and you should learn very early that certain people can hold you back."

Lorelai winced for both her daughters. She could see the agony on Rory's face that her beloved grandfather was acting this way and she could see how uncomfortable the comparison was making Christa.

"Grandpa, stop it!" Rory pleaded. "You cannot treat Dean this way. He's my boyfriend, he's special to me."

"You're too young to have a boyfriend!" Richard roared and Lorelai knew they had hit the heart of the matter. It came back to her, even if Richard wasn't saying it like that. "A girl your age should not date one boy. You're too young to tie yourself down like that. Christa knows that, Christa goes on a variety of dates, don't you?"

"Uh." Christa answered, obviously uncomfortable.

"Are you dating either of these nice young men?" Richard demanded, motioning to Colin and Logan.

"We go out, sometimes." Christa said softly. "But no, I don't have a boyfriend."

"And that's how it should be." Richard praised. "You should have male friends, you should socialize, but you should not tie yourself down." He looked at Rory. "You should learn this. You have a bright future, Rory, and you need to safeguard it."

There was an awful silence following his words and it seemed no one knew what to say.

"I'm sorry, excuse me, I have to work." Richard said after a moment, getting up and walking away.

"Thank you for the dinner and the gifts, Grandma." Rory said after a moment. "But I really think we should be going." With that she got up and rushed away. Dean followed quickly behind her.

Lorelai looked at Christa, who just nodded at her to go after Rory and then did just that. This had not been a great night. Not at all.


	13. Chapter 13: Ghosts of the Past

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Thirteen: Ghosts of the Past

"That was intense." Logan commented after they reached his place, where they had gone to chill after escaping the horror that was Friday Night dinner.

"Yeah, it's not usually like that," Christa said, making a face. "Poor Dean. Grandpa was _awful_."

"Yeah, it was like having dinner with my parents," Logan said with a shudder as he collapsed on the couch.

"Dean seemed nice enough, but an odd choice for a Gilmore." Colin pointed out, taking a seat in an arm chair and pulling Christa down into his lap.

Christa shrugged. "Maybe, but Rory hasn't been raised like a Gilmore. She had a normal small-town upbringing. Dean fits perfectly into her life in Stars Hollow and for Rory, that's the life that matters."

In some ways, Rory existed in two worlds. The one Lorelai had created for her and the one that Lorelai had taken her away from. She was a small-town girl at heart, but at the same time she now moved, at least a little, in the world of high society. It was a tricky balance and one Christa didn't envy. For better or worse, she only knew one world, which made things easier because there was only one set of expectations.

"You're right, you guys are nothing alike," Logan told her, "I know tonight wasn't the best first meeting, but she seemed so meek and mild."

"It was a bad night," Christa defended her sister, "she's normally a lot more outspoken."

"Well, you were the one defending her boyfriend," Colin pointed out, "you, your mom, even Emily. Rory was pretty quiet until the end."

"I think it was hard for her," Christa told them softly, "Rory and our grandfather are _so_ close. He's more of a father figure to her than Dad is."

"They're not close?" Logan asked, obviously surprised. Probably because he knew how close Christa and Christopher were.

"No." Christa admitted. "Mom did a great job maintain a relationship with me. When I lived in California, we talked on the phone almost every day and sent e-mails. I always knew that if I needed her, she'd be there. Dad wasn't as great as keeping in touch with Rory. I was his responsibility, so he's always been there for me, but he pretty much checked out where Rory was concerned and let Mom do it on her own."

"Your mom is amazing," Logan told her as he stood up to get them drinks"She definitely lives up to her reputation and now I know where you get your good looks from—you're the spitting image of her."

"And a lot like her in personality as well," Christa agreed. "I've been told all my life that I'm just like Lorelai. It drives the Gilmores nuts. They adore Rory, they see her as their second chance, but me… I'm the wild child and while they love me, I'm a constant reminder of where they went wrong."

"Tonight Richard was praising you," Colin pointed out, accepting the scotch Logan handed him.

Christa made a face. "I know. It was so weird. I felt like I'd fallen into a parallel universal." She shrugged. "But, it wasn't really about me-he was trying to make a point. The Gilmores they have expectations for us, expectations my mother failed to meet."

"You're supposed to go to an Ivy League school and then marry a suitable spouse," Colin said, rolling his eyes, "Just like the rest of us."

"Exactly." Christa told him before taking a sip of her own drink. "And along the way, we're supposed to travel in the right circles and socialize with the right people and, for all my faults, I meet those expectations better than Rory does. Rory might be the good twin, but she doesn't fit into my grandparents' world, where it _is_ my world."

She was good at making polite chit-chat with Hartford's elite, she'd gone to the right schools since kindergarten and she chose the right friends. She was wild, but in an acceptable way (as long as she didn't end up pregnant) and it seemed like tonight the Gilmores had finally realized that. Christa had to admit, if only to herself, that it had felt kind of nice having Richard praise her.

However, she had felt bad that it had come at Dean's expense, because Dean was a genuinely nice guy. Still, he might as well get used to, because Christa had a feeling that if his relationship continued that he was going to face more opposition from the Gilmores. Because she knew that they had very clear qualifications about what made an acceptable suitor for their granddaughters and Dean didn't meet them.

"I'm sure it also helped that I had two very socially acceptable escorts," Christa added with a laugh, "I'm sure my grandparents are considering you both as potential husbands, for after I've graduated from Yale, of course."

Colin shrugged. "At least you're hot."

"Colin!"

"What?" He asked and then rolled his eyes. "Christa, I can guarantee that there are many parents who consider Logan and I to be good son-in-law candidates and most of the time their daughter is either ugly, stupid or incredibly unpleasant."

"Sometimes all three." Logan interjected with a grin. "Remember the Platford girl?"

Colin shuddered. "I'd rather not. Anyway, my point is, I know that one day I'll have to marry a nice, acceptable girl and I could do a lot worse than you."

"Thanks, I think." Christa said with a laugh. "I guess it would be nice to at least like the person you have to marry."

"A marriage where you actually like each other?" Logan quipped. "Does that actually exist?"

Christa had met Logan's parents and had noticed the coldness between them and she'd heard the rumors about Mitchum's infidelities and Shira's drinking problem.

"I think it does," Christa said softly, "I think my grandparents are happy, both sets." Straub wasn't an easy man to live with, but he and Francine seemed content. It was the same with the Gilmores, Christa couldn't imagine Richard and Emily apart.

"I'm not sure love is the key," Colin commented, "I think friendship is. I think love is fickle and people can fall out of love, but if you start with a strong friendship than it's more likely to work out."

"I think you also need common goals," Christa added, "my parents have always loved each other and they used to say that they were each other's best friend, but I'm not sure they've ever wanted the same things out of life."

She knew that wasn't the only reason that Lorelai and Christopher had failed as a couple, but it was an important one.

"Friendship and common goals," Logan mused, "That actually seems easier to attain than true love."

It was cynical, but Christa couldn't help but agree with Logan. Love had always seemed messy and unpredictable and she knew better than to count on it. She knew that one day she would have to make a socially acceptable marriage and one based on friendship and common goals actually sounded pretty good…

* * *

"I can't believe Grandpa." Rory complained to her mother after they'd arrived home. Dean had already left, obviously not in the mood to stick around, and Rory didn't blame him because dinner had been a nightmare. "He's impossible."

"Yes." Lorelai agreed. "Twinkie?"

Emily had sent them home with a plate of home-made Twinkies, but Rory wasn't about to be distracted.

"He just attacked Dean out of nowhere," she pointed out, "and Dean was just sitting there, being perfect nice, and then all of a sudden.. Ugh, God, I'm so mad. He's a snob."

"Yes, he is." Lorelai agreed.

"And he doesn't listen. He just wants to say horrible things and have you sit there and listen to him and then just agree with him." Rory ranted. "What is that all about?"

"About a hundred years' worth on inbreeding," Lorelai joked, but Rory ignored her. She wasn't in the mood for jokes.

"I've never seen him be mean before," she said softly. "Not like that." She'd seen her grandfather be cold, mostly to her mother, but never mean. "I don't know how I'll ever talk to him again. And Dean… He must be so upset right now. I hate that Grandpa did this to him. I hate it."

She was also angry with herself for letting the terrible behaviour go on for so long. Her mom, Christa, even her grandmother, had all stepped in before she had. She'd just been so stunned that she hadn't known what to say.

"It was bad," Lorelai agreed, "my father was in fine form tonight. But…"

"But?" Rory asked in disbelief. "There's a 'but', how can there be a 'but'?"

"But," Lorelai continued, "I don't think my father has ever loved anything in this world as much he loves you. He loves Christa too, obviously, but it's not the same. You and he have this very special relationship." Lorelai reminded her. "Now, having that established, let's just consider that maybe this flip-out tonight actually had nothing to do with Dean and very possibly nothing to do with you."

Rory wasn't sure what her mother was getting at. "What do you mean?"

"You and Christa are the great white hopes of the Gilmore clan," Lorelai told her. "You especially. You're their angel sent from above. You are the daughter they didn't have."

"Mom…" Rory began.

"It's not a feel sorry for me thing," Lorelai told her, "It's just the truth. You and Christa, you're their second chance. The two of you are going to go college. Hell, you're going to graduate from high school. My parents are going to get to watch you walk down that aisle wearing your cap and gown and get your diploma. You're both going to go to Ivy League schools and you'll be a Phi Beta Bimbo and graduate with honors and just set the world on fire."

"Except the Phi Beta Bimbo part that's how it's going to be," Rory said, smiling despite herself.

"I know," Lorelai said with a smile, "And my parents know it too. But tonight you walked in with this beautiful boy who likes you enough to brave going to your grandparents' house for dinner and Dad looks at you and sees you with him and all of a sudden, he has a terrible Lorelai flashback. He sees it all going away, the cap and gown and…"

"But I'm not going to get pregnant." Rory protested. "And if that's what he's worried about, why wasn't he giving Christa a hard time?"

Lorelai sighed. "I'm sure Christa terrifies of them too, but… As much as she jokes about running off to Europe with a guitar player, she'd never do it. She understands what is expected of her." Lorelai paused. "Christa might be the Second Coming of Lorelai in many ways, much to my mother's horror, but there are some big differences. If Christa got pregnant, she'd get married and she'd make all the choices I didn't. I know that, she knows that, and I think even my parents know that. So, no, they don't worry about her in the same way."

Rory considered her mother's words and decided Lorelai had a point. Rory couldn't see her sister following in their mother's footsteps and raising a child on her own.

"Also, as we've already established, your grandparents are snobs," Lorelai continued, "They approve of the company Christa keeps. At least if she were to get pregnant and had to get married, it would be to a socially acceptable young man."

"That's not fair." Rory argued, though she knew her mother was right. Her grandfather had been so mean to poor Dean, but had kept praising Colin and Logan. "Dean is so nice. He's as nice as Colin or Logan."

"Probably nicer," Lorelai told her, "Dean's a great guy, one of the best. But my parents are snobs and they judge people on who they're parents are and what schools they go to. You and I both know that Dean is great, but what matters to my parents is that Logan and Colin come from the right background and will be going to Yale."

"It's not fair." Rory complained.

Lorelai wrapped her arms around her. "No, it's not."


	14. Chapter 14: Different Futures

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Fourteen: Different Futures

"How's Dean?" Christa asked Rory on Monday when she arrived in Stars Hollow to spend the night with Rory. She'd talked to her sister briefly over the phone, but this was the first time she'd seen her since the disastrous Friday night dinner.

"He's ok," Rory told her, "or at least I think he is. We haven't really talked about what happened on Friday."

"Grandpa was out of line." Christa said quietly.

"Mom thinks he acted the way he did because he was projecting what happened to her onto me and he was worried about my future." Rory confided.

Christa considered it and thought that their mom was probably right. Dean was handsome and he adored Rory and the sight of Rory in love probably scared their grandparents and made them remember what had happened the last time they'd had to deal with a teenager in love.

"What would you do if you got pregnant?" Rory asked her suddenly.

"Get married." Christa answered instantly. "But I have no intention of being a teen mother."

"Neither did Mom," Rory pointed out.

"Yeah but you can't get pregnant if you don't have sex." Christa said with a shrug. "It's probably the biggest reason why I'm still a virgin."

However, it wasn't the only reason. While the fear of getting pregnant and repeating her mother's life definitely held her back, there was also the fact that until she'd come to Connecticut, she'd never met anyone she cared about enough to **want** to have sex. Now she had a different problem. Now she wasn't sure which boy she cared about more…

"Do you want to have sex?" Rory asked curiously.

"Yeah," Christa admitted. "I think about it a lot." Sometimes, when she was with Colin or Tristan, it was all she could think about and she honestly didn't know if her resolve would last until the end of the summer, let alone the end of high school. "What about you?"

"I'm definitely not ready." Rory told her. "I don't think I will be for a long time. I mean, I love Dean, so much, and I do think about it, but, I don't feel ready."

"I understand." Christa assured her. "It's a personal decision. Only you will know when you're ready."

"What did you do this weekend?" Rory asked, changing the subject.

"Saturday night my friend Juliet had a party," Christa told her, "So I went to that and I ended up staying the night. Then last night, Tristan and I went to a movie."

She and Colin had gone to Juliet's party together and Colin had ended up crashing there as well, something that Christa decided to keep to herself. She loved Rory, but she was pretty sure Rory wouldn't approve plus she might tell their mom, who'd tell their dad and well… Christa was positive that the new, stricter Christopher would not be ok with her sharing a bed with a guy she was dating, even if they weren't having sex.

The next day, Christa had dragged herself home by noon, had a quick nap and then had gone over to Tristan's. His parents were out of town, so after the movie they'd gone back to his place and made out until he finally brought her home just in time for curfew. While Straub and Francine weren't really enforcing it, she knew that one-on-one dates made them more nervous than parties, so she had decided to follow the rules and be home on time.

"Do Tristan and Colin know about each other?" Rory asked her.

"Yes." Christa answered, though it wasn't the entire truth. Tristan knew about Colin, of course, but she'd never mentioned Tristan by name to Colin. He never actually asked about the other guys she saw, just like she never asked about the other girls he went out with. "We're all on the same page, Rory. Not everyone needs a commitment."

"Are you still seeing other guys too?" Rory pressed.

Christa shrugged. "Occasionally. There's this guy, Robert, who I go out with sometimes. I'm going out with him tomorrow night actually."

There was a political dinner in Hartford and Senator Brewster was making Robert attend and he needed a date, so he'd asked her. Actually, that was pretty much how it went with Robert. They rarely went anywhere just the two of them, instead he often asked her to accompany him to some command performance. It was one of the reasons Christa didn't take him seriously as a suitor, which was ok, because she didn't want serious. Besides, he was fun and charming and she didn't mind helping him out.

"There have been a few others," Christa added, "But really you can only date so many people at the time. Even casually." She grinned at Rory. "Especially when you have a greedy twin sister who keeps demanding your time."

"Hey, I shared a womb with you for 8 and a half months," Rory reminded her, "That gives me a better on claim than any guy."

"Duly noted," Christa assured her, "Besides, I love my twin time."

"Me too." Rory said softly. "I don't want to give it up. I hate that you're moving away."

"I'll come back as often as I can." Christa assured her. "It's a two how drive and Straub and Francine have assured me that they're house is open to me whenever I want, so I was thinking I'll come down at least one weekend a month and if you ever need me for anything, I can just hop in my car."

"But we won't be going to school together." Rory whined.

Christa resisted the urge to sigh. She was sick of having this conversation with Rory. She understood why Rory was upset, but at the same time, the past semester had been an aberration, living in separate cities was their normal.

"We were only in a couple classes together and you hated my PDA in the hallway." Christa reminded her. "Besides, think about how much easier Paris will be on you without me around to antagonize her."

"I don't think Paris will ever go easy on me," Rory said, rolling her eyes. "Won't you miss Chilton at all?"

"I'll miss making out with Tristan in the hallway," Christa joked, "and I'll miss see you every day. But Chilton? It's just another school. It's not like I haven't switched schools before."

She was sure that the private school that the Haydens had found for her in Boston would be perfectly fine. It would be like Chilton and all the other schools she had been to. It would be full of bored rich brats looking for excitement and it would be a mix of crazy over-achievers and defiant slackers.

"Don't you worry that will affect your college chances?" Rory asked her. "Moving around so much?"

Christa shrugged. "Not really. After all, it's not my fault." Ok, well, one of the times it had been, but switching schools regularly hadn't hurt Logan or Colin or the others. "Besides, I'll be applying to Princeton and Yale and the Hayden and Gilmore names will help."

"And Harvard." Rory reminded her. "I want us to go to Harvard together."

"I'll apply to Harvard." Christa promised, though she was less sure about her chances without the family name to back her up.

Besides, Harvard was Rory's dream, not Christa's. All of her friends were going Yale and they'd promised to introduce her to the party scene there, plus the Gilmores would love it. Which was both a pro and a con, if Christa was honest, but right now Yale was looking pretty good. Then, there was Princeton and fulfilling Straub's dream for Christopher, which was less appealing, but part of her felt like she should.

So, if Christa was honest, her thoughts of college centered on Yale and Princeton, not Harvard. But she didn't want to tell Rory that though; there was plenty of time later to dash her sister's dream of them going to college together.

* * *

"I'm never coming back from South Korea." Lane moaned later that evening. She'd come over to hang out with Rory and Christa and had spent most of the afternoon complaining about her upcoming trip to South Korea and the fact that she was convinced her parents were sending her there permanently.

"I know people with private jets, we can always smuggle you back into the country." Christa offered.

Lane and Rory both looked at her.

"Who do you know that has a private jet?" Rory questioned. She knew a lot of rich people, but she didn't think she knew anyone with their own plane.

Christa shrugged. "A few people. Colin's dad, Logan's dad and my friend Robert's dad. I think some of my other friends' parents have them as well. Technically they're all company planes, except for Senator Brewster's."

"Senator Brewster?" Rory repeated. How did Christa know Senator Brewster? "You know Senator Brewster?"

"He's Robert's father," Christa said patiently, "I've met him a few times. I'm going to one of his speech's tomorrow as Robert's date."

It was just another reminder of how different Christa's life was from Rory's. She founded so blasé about the whole thing, but Rory thought it sounded amazing. She would have so many questions for Senator Brewster, she'd want to pick his brain about Washington and his viewpoints on certain policies.

"Political pull is good," Lane pointed out, "You can petition to rescue me from South Korea if it comes to that."

"I'm sure that your mom isn't sending you to South Korea forever," Rory pointed out. "I'm sure there's a good explanation for everything."

"Yeah, that she's decided I'm too American," Lane said glumly, "So she's going to remove me from temptation."

"Nah," Christa told her, "I know your mom, there's no way she's sending you away forever. That would mean you were outside her sphere of influence."

"Ooh," Lane said, "Good point. You're right. She'd never let me live away from her. So I should only worry if it looks like she's coming with me."

"Now that you're less paranoid, are you excited about your trip?" Rory asked her, glad that Christa had been able to calm Lane down.

Lane made a face. "Not really. It'll be like being with my mother all the time with no chance to escape. Two months of no fast food, no music, no good television. Just lots of prayer."

"Sounds like torture." Christa said with a shudder. "Maybe you will need that petition, keep us posted." She laid back on Rory's bed. "What are your plans for the summer, Rory?"

"Well, helping Mom with the wedding." Rory reminded her. "And I'm going to do all three summer sessions." That would take her to the beginning of August, the wedding and the beginning of the new school year.

"Of course you are," Christa said with an eye-roll.

"Extra credit is important." Rory told her disapprovingly. "I'm also going to do some volunteer work. Paris is right, I really need to start approving my college application."

She had been horrified to realize how unprepared she was. She'd been so focused on having good grades that she hadn't thought about anything else. She wasn't well-rounded and she needed to be if she was going to go to Harvard.

"The words 'Paris is right' should never be spoken," Christa told her, "seriously, it's summer; you should be relaxing and having a good time."

"What are your plans?" Lane asked Christa.

"Three more weeks of summer semester and then I'm done and I'm not doing any others." Christa said, sending Rory a dirty look, "and then freedom and a lot of parties. Plus Martha's Vineyard, a quick trip back to California with Straub and Francine, and then Dad and I are going somewhere, we haven't decided yet."

Rory frowned. Christa's summer sounded very full and very fun, but it didn't sound productive. "Aren't you worried about your college application at all?"

Christa shrugged. "Not really. I've got two more years of high school, that's plenty of time to figure it out."

What went unspoken was that, unlike Rory, Christa was perfectly happy to get by on money and connections. Rory knew that Christa's grades were decent and that, more importantly, her sister socialized with the rich and powerful. It wasn't the way Rory would do things, but she understood that her sister didn't have any concerns about getting into a good school.

However, Rory couldn't help remember their early conversation and the way Christa had referenced Yale and Princeton. Rory didn't want that. She wanted Christa to go to Harvard with her. She wanted to spend her college years with her sister and make up for all the time they'd been apart.

She silently resolved to try and get Christa to start taking the college application process seriously so that she could get into Harvard, even if she didn't have family connections there.


	15. Chapter 15: Written In Stone

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer in Chapter One._

 _A.N- I know that this version of Robert's family life varies from what is portrayed in "Pulp Friction", but it suited my world (just like making Colin's dad the CEO of a chain of hotels instead of a lawyer suited my plot) plus his behavior is so exaggerated in that episode that he could just be having a laugh at Rory's expense. Either way, in this world, his father is a Senator and Robert is the oldest son._

Chapter Fifteen: Written in Stone

"How do I look?" Christa asked Robert after he arrived to pick her up. Since it was a political event, she went with a more conservative outfit than she would usually chose. She had a lot to choose from since Francine regularly insisted on buying her clothes and they were all very proper and very boring.

"Beautiful, as always," he assured her. "Thank you for doing this. I know that these things are awful."

"How long do we have to stay?" Christa asked as he led her to his car and opened the door for her. There might not be a lot of passion with Robert, but he was a very considerate date.

"Thankfully not too long," Robert assured her, "My father will make a boring speech, he'll take some pictures with his loving family and then there will be a cocktail hour where we'll have to mingle for a few minutes before escaping."

Christa nodded. "Ok."

"I was optimistic and booked a 9 o'clock dinner reservation," Robert told her. "I figured that after making you go to a boring speech, the least I could do was feed you."

"I appreciate being fed." Christa told him with a smile. Since this was Robert, she'd guess that they'd be eating somewhere classy and upscale, where the food would be good, but not terribly exciting.

"I appreciate you agreeing to be my date," Robert told her, "I know that this evening will be incredibly tedious."

"When did you start going to these things?" Christa asked after a moment.

"I can't remember not having to go to these things." Robert told her. "My siblings and I were taught to smile and always be on my best behavior from a very early age."

Christa made a face. "Sounds painful."

"Less painful than it's going to be once I actually have to run for office myself." Robert said wryly.

"Third generation," Christa said quietly.

"Yes, the pitfalls of being the older son," Robert said, making a face. "This last year, my parents have really started with the comments and reminding me that every step I make has to be calculated, presenting the right image." He sighed. "I've also been drilled on the need to be discreet at college, to have fun, but not do anything that can haunt me later."

"I wonder if it's easier being a girl," Christa mused, "You, Colin, Logan… You're all being groomed to take over the family business, whether you want to or not, while most of us girls are just expected to pick a suitable spouse and in theory, there's a chance on us managing to find one that we don't despise."

"We're expected to do that too," Robert said dryly, "My parents aren't shy about reminding me that my future wife has to meet very clear criteria."

"Well, I'm sure the daughter of a teenager unwed mother is not what they have in mind," Christa joked, suddenly wondering if that was why Robert often asked her to these events.

"That thought has crossed my mind," Robert admitted, "Though they've never said anything." He glanced over at her. "But that's not why I keep asking you out, if that's what you're implying."

"I guess I was, a little bit," Christa admitted. "You only ever ask me out when you need a date for a function."

"When else am I supposed to ask you out?" Robert asked her. "Should I ask you to go with me to a party? The ones you usually go to with Colin?"

Christa considered that he might a point, remembering their first date and how at the end of the night he'd asked her to a party, only for her to tell him that she was going with Colin. After that he'd started asking her to specific functions, ones that Colin was unlikely to be at.

"You can ask me to a movie or dinner." Christa suggested quietly. "And I don't always go to those parties with Colin."

She usually did, but they were both also seeing other people regularly and she knew that eventually Colin was going to bring another girl as his date and she'd be ok with that. Just like he'd be okay if she went with someone else.

"I'll keep that mind," Robert said with a smile.

Christa nodded, though she wondered if it would be wise to start seeing Robert more often. She was already spending most of her time with either Tristan or Colin and while she liked Robert, there wasn't any really spark between them.

Christa actually thought that might be a good enough reason to keep seeing him. She had enough sparks with Colin and Tristan, fond attraction would be a good equalizer. So yeah, seeing more of Robert could be a good thing.

* * *

"Why don't we skip dinner?" Christa suggested as she and Robert left the rally. "Why don't we just grab fast food and go back to your place and hang out?"

She'd been watching him all night and she could tell that putting on the polite face took a toll on him, so she wanted to offer him an out.

"Fast food?" Robert asked in surprise.

"You know, McDonald's or something." Christa said with a shrug.

"I'm not sure I've ever eaten McDonalds." Robert said thoughtfully.

Christa's eyes widened. "How is that possible? We can't have that. You're about to go to college, you need to be familiar with fast food. Ok, so we're going to get some McDonald's and then we'll go back to your place and watch a movie or something."

"All right," Robert said agreeably.

Half an hour later, they made their way to the Brewster's family room, with their take out bags in hand.

"We can't possibly eat all this food," Robert told her with a laugh as they set the bags on the coffee table.

"You've never had McDonalds, so you don't know what you like," Christa pointed out, "That means you have to try a little bit of everything. I can eat the rest."

"How can you eat like you do and look like you do?" Robert asked her, watching as she divided up the food.

"It's a Gilmore thing," Christa told him absently, frowning at the burgers. She got up and headed towards the kitchen, getting a knife and some plates from a surprised maid, and then returned to the living room and cut the burgers into pieces.

"That was both disgusting and surprisingly delicious all at once." Robert told her once they were done eating.

"That's fast food," Christa said with a laugh, "Aren't you glad that I convinced you to try it?"

"I am." He agreed and then he grinned, "You know, you're the only girl I know who would have suggested cancelling our dinner reservation to eat fast food in my parents' living room."

"I like fine dining as much as the next girl," Christa told him, "But sometimes you just need a hamburger and a milkshakes. I also thought that you needed something more private."

"You're very perceptive." Robert told her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He sighed. "I find it draining, all the eyes on me and the expectation that when people are talking me they're addressing the future Senator Brewster."

Christa curled into Robert. "What would you do with your life if you had a choice?"

"I'd like to be an architect." Robert told her quietly. "I've always loved architecture and I love to draw. But that's not in the plan. It's Yale where I will study Government, then law school and then politics."

Christa didn't suggest that he study architecture anyway; she knew that wasn't how it worked. There was a price for the money and the privilege they had been born into and part of that price was that your future wasn't your own, there were expectations and they had to be met.

As she'd told Robert earlier, it was different with women. She wasn't being pushed into a specific career, but there were still clear expectations. She knew she was expected to go to an Ivy League school and then as soon as she graduated, she would be expected to get married, to a man from a suitable background, of course. But, the man could be one she chose, as long as he fit certain criteria, and she could study whatever she wanted. So in many ways, she had much more freedom than her male friends and yet…

"Sometimes I wish I was more like my mother," she told Robert quietly.

"In what way?" He asked, playing with a strand of her long hair.

"She had the courage to leave all this behind," Christa said quietly, "She gave up the money and the privilege and made her own life. I don't have the strength to do that, I enjoy the benefits too much."

She'd meant what she'd told Rory, if she got pregnant, she'd do the socially acceptable thing and get married. She couldn't imagine going off on her own like Lorelai had. Not when it meant giving up everything she had ever known. She enjoyed luxury too much.

"Me too," Robert admitted, "as much as I fantasize about making my own way in life, I know that I'll never do it. I couldn't give up all the advantages of being a Brewster and that means I'm stuck with the obligations as well."

Christa realized that this was the most personal conversation that she and Robert had ever had. Because their dates were usually social functions, it didn't leave a lot of opportunity for private conversation, but that night was different and it was nice.

With that thought in mind, Christa leaned in and kissed him. She could feel Robert's surprise as he responded to the kiss. It wasn't the first time they'd kissed, but it was the first time she'd imitated it and it was the first time it was anything other than a goodnight's kiss.

For the first time Robert wasn't just an acceptable escort, but someone she could relate to and who's company she genuinely enjoyed…


	16. Chapter 16: Summer Fun Begins

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Sixteen: Summer Fun Begins

 _Three Weeks Later_

"How does freedom feel?" Colin asked Christa, his arm wrapped around her shoulders as they watched the bonfire.

It was Christa's first night at the Huntzberger's house on Martha's Vineyard. Summer session was over (for her at least) and it was the beginning of the holiday weekend and the true beginning of her summer fun.

"Wonderful." Christa said with a smile. "This place is awesome. Does Logan spend a lot of time up here?"

"Some, but not really in the summer because the Huntzberger's fill it with people." Colin said with a laugh. "And the goal is to avoid being around the family, but we've still managed to have some good parties here. It helps that everyone else is up here too."

Christa nodded. She, Colin, and Seth were staying with Logan's family, but many of their other friends were at the Vineyard as well, just not at the Huntzberger home. Robert and Stephanie's parents both had houses as well and so did a few other members of their social circle.

"Your parents don't have vacation homes?" Christa inquired, a little suprised because most rich people did. The Gilmores didn't, because Emily didn't like to do the same thing every summer, so they went to Europe or leased a house in the Hamptons or whatever, depending on her mood. The Haydens spent time with friends or in their house in California or they went back to Europe and the London house.

"My mom and Peter spend the summer in the Hamptons." Colin told her. "They also have a beach house in California. As for my father, I think he figures with a dozen luxury hotels across the world, he doesn't need a separate vacation home."

"That makes sense." Christa agreed with a smile. "Will you be spending time with your parents this summer?"

"Not if I can help it." Colin told her, making a face. "My mother doesn't expect me to make an appearance, thank God, and I might spend a week or two with my father, but mostly they're leaving me to my own devices. Just the way I like it."

Christa laughed. "There is an advantage to that." The Haydens basically let her do whatever she wanted and she had to admit, it was pretty nice. "I am so not looking forward to having rules come September."

"Do you think it will be that bad?" Colin asked her.

Christa shrugged. "I have no idea. Dad and I've always gotten along really well, but there's his new girlfriend and his new commitment to being a stricter parent, so we'll see."

She was still resentful about the changes that awaited her and a tiny part of her wished she could just stay with Straub and Francine, but she knew that neither of her parents would go for that. Plus she'd really missed Christopher and she was sure once she was actually back living with him, things would go back to normal.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Colin assured her, "Plus you plan on spending most weekends in Connecticut, right?"

"As many as possible," Christa agreed, though she knew her dad would object to every weekend,"I want to see my mom and Rory."

"Just your mom and Rory?" Colin teased, playing with her long hair.

"Maybe someone else as well," Christa admitted with a smile.

"That's what I thought." Colin said, leaning down to kiss her deeply.

"Do you two ever stop?" Logan asked, coming up behind them with three drinks in his hand. He handed one to each of them and then sat down.

"On occasion." Christa said with a laugh. Actually it occurred to her that she and Colin had never discussed how the trip was going to work. They'd be at the Vineyard for two weeks and they weren't exclusive, so would they be hooking up with other people while they were there? Would it be awkward?

Without meaning to, Christa's gaze landed on Robert, who was chatting up some blonde. If she was going to hook up with anyone other than Colin, it would likely be Robert… Since the night they'd eaten McDonald's on his living room floor things had changed between them. They'd gone out a few more times and it was less formal. Christa was really starting to get to know Robert and found that she really liked him as a person. It wasn't the same passionate intensity she felt for Colin or Tristan, but she always had a good time with him.

"Are you ready for two weeks of sun and fun?" Logan asked her after a moment.

"Oh yes." Christa told him. "This place is great and I'm planning on enjoying every moment."

"It's better when there are no adults around," Logan said with a grin, "and speaking of which, my parents have agreed to let me have this place to myself for a week at the end of August as a pre-Yale send-off."

"That sounds amazing," Christa said with a smile, "too bad I'm supposed to be in Boston in August. Plus my mom is getting married the weekend before school starts." And Max would be away for the most of the summer, so Christa had promised to help with the wedding plans.

"You'll be living in Boston full time come September," Colin protested, "what's a few more weeks in Connecticut?"

"We can plan around the wedding," Logan assured her, "because it won't be the same without you."

Christa smiled, flattered by the sentiment. "The 'no-parents' thing could be an issue," she pointed out, "Since my dad has suddenly gone parental." Logan and Colin might be off to Yale and freedom, but she was only sixteen and still had a couple more years of parental rules. Which wouldn't be a problem if Christopher hadn't suddenly started to enforce them.

She knew he'd had concerns about this trip to Martha's Vineyard and she was technically being chaperoned by Straub and Francine. She just didn't think he'd be ok with an adult-free trip. She knew she could always lie, but that didn't feel right to her since she'd always been honest with her parents. At the same time, she hated on missing out on the biggest party of summer… She silently cursed Sherri and Christopher's newfound sense of parental responsibility. It was ruining everything…

* * *

"Thank you for sharing your room with me," Christa told Logan's sister, Honor, that night as they prepared for bed.

Honor grinned. "No problem. I've heard so much about you, that I feel like I know you already and I'm sure we're going to be friends."

"Only good things I hope." Christa said with a laugh. "And I'm sure not all of it's true."

"So you didn't steal a car?" Honor teased her.

"I borrowed it," Christa corrected, "Ok, that story is true. What else did he tell you?"

Soon she and Honor were sharing stories and gossiping as if they had known each other for years.

"My mother thinks you're charming, despite _your_ mother," Honor told her, mimicking Shira's voice, "I think she's hoping that you and Logan will turn out to be more than just friends. After all, it's never too early to arrange a good marriage."

Christa smirked. "I think Logan and I would kill each other within a month."

"Probably, you're much too smart for him," Honor told her, "I'm not sure that Logan would know what to do with a girl whose IQ was higher than her bra-size."

Christa burst out laughing. "I think I love you." She told Honor. "Logan's right, we are going to be the best of friends."

"Something that he's probably going to regret," Honor quipped, settling down among her pillows. "What's the story with you and Colin?"

"We're friends," Christa told her, "And we make out a lot."

"I noticed." Honor said dryly. "I'm surprised, since Colin's taste usually isn't any better than my brother's." Despite the criticism in her words, her voice was full of affection.

"It just happened." Christa said with a shrug. "His father and my grandparents arranged for us to meet. Neither of us was what the other expected and to our mutual surprise, we hit it off. He asked me out again, I said yes and so it's been the last few months." Christa was suddenly amazed to realize it had been almost six months. Which in itself was kind of baffling, since most no-strings relationships didn't last that long. "We both see each other people and we don't make any demands of each other, but we like each other's company."

"I was told that you were like a female version of Colin and Logan," Honor told her, "And I can see that. Not, that that's a bad thing."

"I like to think I'm practical." Christa said with a shrug. "Besides, I adore Colin and Logan, so I don't mind being compared to them."

"They are very easy to adore," Honor agreed, "Even if they are both impossible at times."

"Were they always impossible?" Christa asked, flipping onto her stomach to get comfortable. "You must have some fantastic stories."

"Oh, yes," Honor told her, "The two of them have been getting into mischief since pre-school."


	17. Chapter 17: Vacation Recap

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Seventeen: Vacation Recap

 _Two Weeks Later_

"Did you have a good trip?" Lorelai asked Christa. It was Christa's first day back from Martha's Vineyard and Lorelai had played the mom card and made Christa come by for the evening. Rory was out with Dean, but had promised to be back early to see her sister, which left Christa and Lorelai with some mother-daughter time.

"Yeah, it was fun." Christa told her. "I roomed with Logan's sister and she's a really nice, plus she had lots of stories about Colin and Logan, so now I have dirt on them."

Lorelai was relieved to hear that Christa had had a female roommate. She had to admit that she'd had a few reservations about the trip, but she had chosen not to voice them since Christa had been so annoyed at Christopher for doing the same. Lorelai had decided to let him be the bad guy for once, since, after all, he was Christa's primary parent.

"Summer's going by fast." Christa said after a moment. "There's just over a month of vacation left." She smiled at Lorelai. "The wedding will be here before you know it."

"Yes." Lorelai agreed, feeling a little overwhelmed by that thought.

"When does Max get back?" Christa asked curiously.

"This week." Lorelai said with a smile. "But back to you. Don't you have anything more interesting to share about two weeks at Martha's Vineyard other than the fact that Logan's sister is nice?"

Christa shrugged. "There was a beach and we had bonfires almost every night and there was a lot of people. I went swimming, but the water was cold and I prefer pools. It was really pretty though and I enjoyed walking on the beach. The adults left us to our own devices, except one boring cocktail party, which was nice and meant it was basically a two-week long party."

"And you don't want to go into details with your mother." Lorelai teased, though she could fill in the blanks of what Christa was leaving out. She remembered spending a summer in the Hamptons when she was younger than Christa, the summer before she became pregnant, and yeah… It had been a big party. And one of the reasons, she had been secretly apprehensive about this trip.

Christa shrugged. "Do you really want me to?"

Lorelai had to admit that she didn't. She loved having an open relationship with her girls, but that was definitely easier with Rory, who kept to the straight and narrow, than with Christa. She knew that Christa drank and partied and broke more than a few rules and she didn't really need to know the details. She trusted Christa to tell her the big things, which was why she was confident that Christa wasn't having sex yet, and to not do anything really stupid. That was enough, it had to be enough.

"It really was fun," Christa said after a moment, "It was two weeks of just hanging out with my friends all day. I even got girl time because Stephanie had a sleep-over and between Honor and Juliet, we managed to not kill each other."

Lorelai knew that her daughter wasn't crazy about the other girl, even though they hung out with the same circle, though she didn't know any of the details. However, whenever Stephanie's name came up, it was accompanied with a groan or an eyeroll. Lorelai also knew the name Juliet, because she was one of the few girls Christa talked about on a regular basis.

"Robert and I had dinner twice," Christa continued, "once at this local diner, which was fun, and the other time with his parents, which was less fun."

"Robert?" Lorelai asked, genuinely surprised. She had assumed that Christa would spend the entire trip with Colin.

"Yeah," Christa confirmed, "why's that weird? You know I go out with Robert sometimes."

True, Lorelai acknowledged, but it had never seemed serious. At least not dinner on vacation, with his parents, serious. "I guess I just thought you'd be busy with Colin."

"Colin and I have an agreement," Christa reminded her, "It's completely casual between us and we both see other people. I know he went out with a few other girls while we were there and I went out with Robert a couple times. But yes, I also saw a lot of Colin."

There was a soft smile on Christa's face as she spoke of Colin and Lorelai wondered, not for the first time, if her daughter was in denial about the depth of her feelings for Colin. Of course, he wasn't the only boy in the picture, even before the addition of Robert.

"Have you talked to Tristan?" Lorelai asked after a moment.

"Yeah, I'm seeing him tomorrow." Christa confirmed, though she didn't seem overly enthused about the idea, which was interesting since the last Lorelai had heard Christa and Tristan had still been hot and heavy.

"I finished your dress," Lorlai said, realizing a change of subject was in order. "Do you want to see it?"

"Yes!" Christa said, jumping up from her seat.

Lorelai smiled and followed her daughter up the stairs.

* * *

"So how was Martha's Vineyard?" Rory asked later that night when the twins were settling down for the night in Rory's room, Christa having been persuaded to sleep over.

"It was fun," Christa said with a smile. "Like I told Mom, it was basically a two-week long party."

Rory could only imagine what that was like. She had a very different life than Christa and a very different idea of fun and she had a feeling that she would disapprove of a lot that went on.

"Sex, drugs and rock n roll?" She asked a little sarcastically.

Christa laughed. "I don't know about rock and roll, but no drugs, though plenty of drinking, and no sex. At least not for me. Other people were having sex."

"You don't feel any pressure?" Rory asked curiously. She didn't, but she was a very different person than Christa. Also, it wasn't like many of her friends were having sex, unless you counted Madeline and Louise as friends and Rory really didn't. Lane was Rory's only really close friend and she hadn't even progressed to one-on-one phone conversations with the boy she liked yet.

"No," Christa told her honestly, "I'm not going to have sex just because of everyone else is and no one's pushing me into it." Christa shrugged. "Honestly, I think most people assume Colin and I are sleeping together, but it's none of their business."

"And Colin doesn't care?" Rory asked. Dean was so sweet and respectful and Rory was confident that he'd never pressure her, but she knew that not all guys were like that and Colin was so much more sophisticated than Dean and she assumed he would want sex.

"Well just because I'm not having sex, doesn't mean he's not," Christa pointed out dryly, "but to answer your question, he's never pushed me. He's happy to go at my pace."

"That's good," Rory said softly. She wanted to ask her sister more questions, curious as to how far Christa had gone, but she held back. She and Christa were close, but there had always been barriers and Rory didn't know how to cross this one.

"If we'd had a different upbringing, I probably wouldn't be so cautious." Christa admitted after a moment. "If I was like Colin or Logan or the others, I'm sure I'd have had sex by now, because I wouldn't see it as a big deal. Life in the fast lane and all that, but because I'm the product of that type of thinking, I tend to be more cautious."

"It's hard to forget the consequences when you are the consequence." Rory said quietly. It was a truth that had governed her entire life. She was cautious and responsible and part of that was because she felt she had to be, to make sure she didn't repeat her mother's mistakes.

It was interesting that Christa, the wild child, felt the same way. Just made Rory realize that as different as they were and as their childhoods had been, they were still sisters and there were some shared experiences that had shaped them both.


	18. Chapter 18: Parting of Ways

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer in Chapter One._

 _A.N- I needed to end Christa and Tristan (at least temporarily) and this felt the right time to do it. If you've read S &S: The More Things Change, you know that this isn't the actual end, but it is an ending for them. When I first started writing Sugar and Spice, I considered making Tristan and Christa the main relationship, but my creative process went another direction entirely and Christa and Colin ended up being the dominant pairing._

Chapter Eighteen: Parting of Ways

"So you haven't mentioned it, did you have a good time at Martha's Vineyard?" Tristan asked casually the next night, but Christa could hear the edge in voice.

They'd gone out for dinner and movie and now they were back at Tristan's place, but instead of making out on the couch, it appeared they were on the verge of a fight.

"It was fun," she told him with a shrug, "I had a lot of fun hanging out with Logan's sister."

Christa pulled herself upright and steeled herself for what she suspected was coming. She had been dreading this date, mostly because of the tone of Tristan's texts and e-mails over the last two weeks and the realization that they were headed for danger.

"Logan's sister?" Tristan repeated. She knew he knew who Logan was, because she'd mentioned him a few times. Colin's name was a sore subject with Tristan, but she and Logan were just friends, so she saw no issue mentioning him. Logan and Tristan actually apparently had met before because of their mothers, though neither of them had sought to deepen the connection and they didn't run in the same circles.

"She was my roommate." Christa told him, to his obvious surprise. "I was on vacation with my grandparents, Tristan, did you think I was going to be shacking up with some guy?"

"I wondered if the grandparent thing was a cover," Tristan admitted, "Besides it's not like your grandparents have a lot of rules."

"No, but 'no sex' might be the only one," Christa said, rolling her eyes. "The last thing Straub and Francine want is for history to repeat itself."

She was actually amazed that her grandparents' gave her as much freedom as they did. She figured either they trusted her or they at least gave her credit for being smart enough to use birth control.

"I was up front about my trip." She said after a moment of silence. "I told you where I was going and who was going to be there. I've never made any pretenses, Tristan."

"I know." He said sullenly.

"Besides, it's not like you've been lonely," she pointed out, "though I wish you'd had better taste. Hooking up with Summer again, really?" Tristan looked surprised and she smirked. "Louise was thrilled to e-mail me all about it. Summer's got a big mouth, but maybe that's why you like her."

"Summer's... She's someone I can have fun with," Tristan told her, "She knows it's no big deal. And do you really care?"

"No." Christa said honestly. "I mean, I think you have terrible taste, but I'm not jealous." It was the truth. "You can hook up with whoever you want, Tristan, and you don't owe me any explanations."

"What if I want to?" Tristan asked her. "These past two weeks sucked. I thought I was cool with our arrangement, but I'm not."

"I'm leaving in a month," Christa pointed out. "So even if I wanted strings, it wouldn't work."

"You could stay," Tristan suggested, "Your grandparents would be happy to let you live with them, even I know that, and you hate your dad's new girlfriend."

"I wouldn't say I hate Sherri," Christa said with a shrug. She'd met Sherri twice more since that initial meeting and while she was overly-perky, Christa had to admit she seemed nice enough. "I just don't love her influence over my dad."

"Well if you stayed in Hartford, you'd be away from that," Tristan pointed out.

"Even if I stayed in Hartford, I wouldn't want a committed relationship." Christa said quietly.

"At least not with me." Tristan said bitterly.

"Not with _anyone_ ," Christa told him honestly. "I like you. I like Colin. I like spending time with you both. I like spending time with other guys as well and I'm not ready for that to change."

She didn't know why she was so afraid of commitment. Maybe because her parents had always been so bad of it? But that seemed to be changing. Lorelai was about to get married and Christopher seemed serious about Sherri, much to Christa's chagrin and yet Christa was still reluctant.

Still, whatever the reasons, it was her choice. Just like it was her decision when she was ready to have sex or anything else. And she wasn't going to let anyone push her into anything, be it sex or commitment.

"I'm sorry I brought it up," Tristan said after a moment. He sighed. "Where does this leave us, Christa?"

"We could continue on as we have been." Christa suggested. "I like being with you, Tristan, I really do."

She had been attracted to him from the beginning. Plus there had been the fact that he seemed to get under Rory's skin, but it had grown to more than that. She'd missed him during their time apart and when they were together, she came close to losing control. But, she didn't want him as her boyfriend. She wasn't ready for that step, not with Tristan or Colin, or anyone. Though in some ways Tristan was more dangerous than Colin, because Colin avoided strings as much as she did, whereas Tristan seemed to want more from her than she knew how to give.

"I like you too," Tristan told her, "But this arrangement isn't working for me and, as you said, you're leaving in a few weeks."

"I thought we'd see each other until I left," Christa said lightly, though she had a feeling that that wasn't going to happen now.

"I thought that too, but I don't think it's the best idea." Tristan told her. "If we do that, it's not going to end on a good note, because I'm going to feel the countdown looming over us and I'm already going crazy."

Christa nodded. She was sad that it had come to this, but at the same time it didn't really surprise her. The no strings had never been as easy with Tristan, as it was with Colin. Tristan might be a rule-breaker, but he was different than Colin and Logan, and he didn't have the same attitude towards relationships. He'd agreed to no strings because he'd wanted her, but she knew he'd always hoped to change her mind.

Christa stood up. "I guess I should go then."

"Yeah." Tristan agreed, standing up as well. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She assured him. "We had fun and you're right, better to leave it on a high note."

She leaned over to kiss him lightly, but he quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her towards him, deepening the kiss. They stood there for a long time, lost in the kiss and finally pulled away, both breathless.

"At least that part always worked between us," Christa joked.

"Yeah." Tristan agreed, his arm still around her waist.

After a moment, he dropped his arm and Christa leaned down to get her purse.

"Goodbye Tristan," she said softly, turning towards the door.


	19. Chapter 19: Triple Date

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Nineteen: Triple Date

"This is my favorite type of pool party," Colin commented, "The private kind."

Christa laughed. She was spending the afternoon hanging out with Colin, just the two of them and they were currently lazing by the pool, curled up together in a lounge chair.

The last weeks of summer had flown by and it was now the end of August. There were only two and a half weeks left until Lorelai's wedding and Christa's return to Boston. She had spent a week in Boston with her dad, but had decided, much to his disappointment, to spend the rest of her summer in Connecticut.

The boys would be leaving in a few days for their week-long party at Martha's Vineyard, but Christa would be skipping it because she had known her dad would say no and he was already upset with her about not coming to Boston earlier and she hadn't wanted to start a fight. She hated to miss out on it and though, plus it meant she would be saying goodbye even sooner because the boys would be going to Yale right after the party.

Just then Christa's phone rang.

"I need a 'no cell phone' sign," Colin joked as she reached for it.

"Doesn't work for Luke," She told him, having mentioned the Stars Hollow diner owner before, "Hey Rory, what's up?"

"Mom and Max want to double with Dean and I." Rory told her. "It's to celebrate Max's first night staying over at the house."

"That's a big step." Christa commented, "How do you feel about it?"

"I'm fine with it," Rory told her, "Soon it'll be his house, so I guess we all need to start getting used to it. Anyway, want to make it a triple date?"

"Uh…" Christa said, glancing at Colin. "Tonight?"

"Please?" Rory asked her. "You can ask Colin or Robert or whoever you want."

"I guess I can." She said unenthusiastically, the idea of a triple date with her mom and sister did **not** appeal to her. "I'll call you back in five."

"Ok." Rory told her. "And please? It would make it less awkward for Dean."

Christa wasn't sure that was true, not after the Friday night dinner from Hell, but she refrained from saying so and said goodbye to Rory before hanging up.

"What does your sister want?" Colin asked with a smirk.

"She and my mom are going on a double date tonight." Christa told him.

"And she wants to make it a triple." Colin guessed. "Why not? We were just going to hang out here anyway."

"You're ok with it?" Christa asked in surprise.

Colin grinned. "Your mother is fascinating and your sister is fine. Besides, I'm dying to see Stars Hollow. It can't possibly be as weird as you say."

"You'll be surprised," Christa told him, "Especially if we run into Kirk. But I'll call Rory back and let her know it's a go."

It felt kind of weird, after all Rory and Dean were an established couple and her mom and Max were engaged while she and Colin were casual, but if Colin wasn't bothered by it, then she wouldn't make a big deal out of it.

Sometimes though, she wasn't sure that she and Colin were very good at "casual", except for the seeing other people part, they were both fine at that, it was everything else that seemed to get blurred.

* * *

"Who do you think Christa's date is?" Lorelai asked Rory, as she, Rory, Dean and Max waited for Christa and whoever she was bringing.

Rory shrugged. "I don't know, she didn't say."

"Hopefully not Tristan." Dean muttered.

Max glanced at all of them. "You have no idea who Christa's date might be?"

"Well, I have some idea," Lorelai rebutted, "my guess is that it'll be Colin." Christa had mentioned that Tristan was no longer in the picture, even casually, which left Colin as the main love interest.

"Or maybe Robert." Rory added. "She's been seeing him lots and you haven't met him yet."

That was true. Christa had started mentioning Robert more and she'd changed the way she talked about it. Lorelai was going to guess with Tristan gone, that Robert was now firmly in the role of secondary love interest. But she doubted Christa would introduce them yet, she'd likely wait until Lorelai forced the issue.

"Or it could be someone completely different." Lorelai said with a shrug, because with Christa anything was possible. She knew that her daughter had a very active social life. "She might just drag Logan along instead of going through the trouble of finding a real date."

"Oh," Rory said with a nod, "I didn't think about that. Definitely an option."

Max just shook his head. "And it doesn't bother either one you that there's a mystery element to this evening?"

"Not really." Lorelai told him. She knew it sounded odd, but it was Christa. Lorelai wasn't going to shame her daughter for dating casually, it was her decision and really, Lorelai felt she was too young for a super serious relationship.

Rory was different, because Lorelai didn't think Rory knew any other way of doing things. Rory just wasn't the type who would be able to date and not get emotionally involved. Plus Dean was so sweet and respectful and their relationship didn't really worry Lorelai, but Christa's relationships all had the potential to be very worrying, especially if they got more serious, so Lorelai actually preferred that there was variety and a bit of emotional distance.

Just then an SUV Lorelai had never seen before, pulled into the driveway and a moment later Colin got out before going around to the other side and letting Christa out. Apparently the obvious choice had been the correct one.

"Hey Mom, Rory." Christa said, coming to greet them both and then smiled at the men. "Max, Dean. This is Colin McCrae."

"Nice to meet you," Max said politely, shaking Colin's hand.

"Nice to meet you too," Colin told him with a smile, "And it's nice to see you again, Dean."

"You too." Dean said, but Lorelai could tell he was remembering the awful dinner at the Gilmore house.

"What's the plan for tonight?" Christa asked after a moment.

"Just dinner." Rory told her. "And then maybe we'll walk around for a while."

"Good, I promised Colin a tour of Stars Hollow." Christa told them, smiling up at the boy in question.

"I've heard lots of stories from Christa." He said with a smile. "I had to see it for myself."

"They're all true." Lorelai told him with a grin. "Stars Hollow is filled with interesting characters."

"That's true." Max agreed. "It takes a bit of getting used to. They also don't sell the Wall Street journal."

He had seemed a bit put out about that that morning and Lorelai could tell that he was taking some time adjusting to life in Stars Hollow. She told herself it was normal and that her little town definitely took some adjustment, but at the same time, it left her with an odd feeling.

* * *

"So this is Stars Hollow." Colin said with a grin as they walked to the restaurant.

"Is it what you expected?" Rory asked curiously. She, her mom and Christa had been pointed out sights to him and he'd been very polite and seemed genuinely interested.

He was different than she'd thought he'd be. Their previous meeting had been a bit of a disaster and hadn't changed her 'spoiled rich boy' opinion of Colin, but tonight he was very polite and being very attentive to Christa. If Rory hadn't known better, she would have sworn they were every bit as much of a couple as her and Dean.

"Actually, yes." He told her. "It's exactly as Christa described it. For the record, I'm going to feel cheated if I leave without meeting Kirk."

"Meeting Kirk is an experience all in itself." Max said dryly.

"We had a wedding meeting with Kirk today." Lorelai explained. "He wanted to take the pictures."

"Please, please, please say you said yes." Christa begged.

"No." Lorelai told her with a laugh. "I'd actually like some pictures to remember my wedding."

"So Colin, you're from Hartford?" Rory asked after a moment, realizing that she knew very little about him. Christa was very tight-lipped about her private life.

"Yes," Colin told her, "Though I've lived there on and off in the last few years. I did a few semesters at a couple different boarding schools."

"Seven schools in four years." Christa said with a laugh. "I think they were running out of places to send you."

Ok, that was more in line with Rory's original impression that Colin was your typical spoiled rich brat.

"When you have enough money, there's always someone willing to take you." Colin shot back. "You should know that."

Christa just laughed.

"Which school do you go to?" Max asked after a moment. "I mean, what's number seven?"

"It was Longview Prep," Colin told him, "That's where I graduated, but I'm off to Yale in a few weeks."

Rory felt Dean stiffen a bit at the mention of Yale and knew he was thinking of that horrible dinner and how Richard had attacked him, while praising Colin and Logan. She squeezed his hand in support.

The conversation changed streams as they headed towards the restaurant and Rory was happy to hear Dean joining in. As different as Colin, Dean and Max were, everyone seemed to be making an effort. Maybe this triple date would work out after all.


	20. Chapter 20: Life With A Gilmore Girl

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes

By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

 _A.N- I break out of my normal POVs with this chapter and include Dean and Max. This is fairly close to the show, but I wanted to expand on it a bit and bend it to my universe, mostly to add more depth to Colin and Christa's relationship._

Chapter Twenty: Life With a Gilmore Girl

"I can barely walk." Max complained as they exited the restaurant.

"Bad shoes?" Lorelai quipped.

"I ate a cow." Max told her.

"You had a steak." Lorelai rebutted.

"Plus the sides." Max reminded her. "Six people, nine baked potatoes."

"Uh, you always exaggerate." Lorelai told him.

Max turned to Dean. "Am I exaggerating?"

"Nope." Dean told him, but he was watching the whole scene with curiosity and a little surprise. Max was a nice guy, but he seemed a little out of his element when it came to interacting with the Gilmores. Even Christa's rich not-boyfriend seemed more at ease.

"Ooh, ice cream!" Rory said suddenly and headed off the down street. Dean watched her go with a fond smile.

"Ooh, I'm right behind you!" Lorelai called out.

"I could go for ice cream." Christa agreed and she and her mother set off after Rory, leaving the men alone.

"How can they possibly eat more?" Max questioned the two younger men.

"Kind of surprised." Dean answered.

"I know." Max said, "They're bottomless pits."

"I mean at you," Dean corrected, "You've known them long enough not to be so confused."

"What do you mean?" Max asked. "I'm not confused."

"I don't even know Rory and Lorelai that well and I'm not surprised." Colin pointed out as they three men headed for a bench. "I figure Christa had to have gotten her eating habits from somewhere."

"That." Dean agreed. "Their eating habits are just the beginning. There's tons of stuff you should get used to."

"Really?" Max asked.

"Oh, yeah." Dean told him. "Like don't ever use the last of the parmesan cheese."

"Or finish your own meal." Colin added. "Christa always gives me the sad face if I finish my fries before she can."

Dean grinned. "Rory too." He turned back to Max. "Never get into a heavy discussion late at night 'cause that's when they're at their crankiest. Oh, and uh, go with their bits."

"Their bits?" Max asked in confusion.

"Yeah, like if you're eating pizza with them and Lorelai decides that the pepperoni is angry at the mushrooms because the mushrooms have an attitude and then she holds up a pepperoni and the pepperoni asks for your opinion." Dean explained, "Don't just laugh. Answer the pepperoni."

"Answer the pepperoni." Max said, sounding a little overwhelmed.

"If you don't, you'll get the sad face," Colin interjected. "I hate the sad face."

Dean laughed. "Me too." He wasn't sure what the story was with Christa and this guy, but he seemed to really get her.

"Don't let them near puppies," Colin added, "Because they'll want to take every one home."

"Oh, that one I knew." Max said with a smile.

"Oh, and uh, here's a big one." Dean told him. "If you ever think that they're doing something crazy, they're not. You see, after a while, their thinking becomes clear, but by the time it's clear, they've already done two other totally crazy things that you can't figure out. So there's no catching up."

Max looked a little overwhelmed, but Colin was nodding along.

"Hey, does Lorelai know what kind of ice cream you like?" Dean asked after a moment.

"Yeah, chocolate chip." Max answered, "But I already told her that I…"

Just then Lorelai appeared, two ice cream cones in her hand. "Hey chocolate chip."

Max smiled weakly as he took it from her. "Thanks."

Just then Rory and Christa appeared, each holding two cones.

"Rocky road," Rory said with a smile, handing it to Dean.

"Thanks." He said, with a smile. Unlike Max, he had been prepared.

From the smile Colin was giving Christa as she handed him a vanilla cone, he too had known what was coming.

Dean looked back at Max, who was giving his ice cream cone a baleful look. It appeared he had a lot to learn about life with a Gilmore Girl…

* * *

Max walked up to Lorelai's bedroom, feeling a little unsure about leaving Rory and Dean downstairs by themselves so late. Christa and Colin were already headed back to Hartford, so Rory and Dean were all alone.

Loreali was already in bed when Max got there.

"You know they're still outside." He told her, crossing the room.

"Who?" Lorelai asked.

"Rory and Dean." He told her.

"Oh." Lorelai said, obviously not interested.

"How long do you think they'll be out there?" He asked, sitting on the bed next to her.

"I don't know." Lorelai said with a shrug.

"So there's no time limit?" Max asked in surprise. Rory was sixteen, surely there were rules.

"There is." Lorelai told him. "As soon as they both get tired of saying 'No, you're prettier' to each other, then the night's over."

"Lorelai, come on." Max told her. He was serious. They needed to talk about these things.

"What?" Lorelai asked.

"I'm going to be living here soon." He pointed out.

"I know." Lorelai said with a smile.

"So I think I should know the procedure is for stuff like this." He told her.

"Stuff like what?" Lorelai asked, seemingly genuinely confused.

"Say you're not here and I come home and there's Rory and Dean in the dark all alone after eleven." Max suggested. "How do I handle that situation?"

Lorelai smiled. "Oh, Max, Rory is very low maintenance, she requires very little parenting."

He knew she was right, but he was frustrated that she was missing his point. "Well, what if I catch them one night making out on the couch?"

"Turn off the light?" Lorelai suggested.

"You're not being serious." Max told her, wondering why she wouldn't have this conversation with him.

"Max, they're teenagers," Lorelai told him, "They can kiss a little bit. I trust Rory."

Max acknowledged that she had a point since Rory was very trustworthy, but countered. "What if Rory comes home drunk?"

Lorelai scoffed. "Come on."

"It happens." Max told her, though even he doubted that it would ever happen to Rory.

"Not to Rory it doesn't." Lorelai told him. "Christa maybe, not Rory."

"Fine, what if Christa comes home drunk?" Max asked. "Or in a make-believe world, Rory does come home drunk, what do I do?"

"Nothing." Lorelai told him.

"Excuse me?" Max asked, sure he must have heard her wrong.

"You would do nothing." Lorelai told him. "I would handle it."

"So basically, I have no role in their lives." Max realized.

"Max, Rory's done. She's brought up, she's Rory. You don't need a role." Lorelai said gently. "And as for Christa… First of all, she's too smart to get caught and secondly, I barely get a say with her, most of it falls to her dad."

That was another argument entirely, Max knew. He wasn't quite sure what the situation with Christa was, but he didn't feel like wading into it right now. Not when he had another battle to fight.

"So, I should do nothing around here, ever?" Max asked bitterly.

"No, not nothing ever." Lorelai told him.

"What then?" Max asked her.

"Well, making the garlic bread the other night was really good." Lorelai told him.

Max stared at her, angry that she didn't seem to be getting his point. "So other than making the garlic bread and answering the phone, what else is my role around here?" He asked sarcastically.

"Well, you're my fella." She told him. "You're my guy, you're my old man."

"What exactly does that entail?" Max asked her. He wanted a partnership and it suddenly occurred to him that he might not get that with Lorelai.

"All things dirty." Lorelai joked.

Max sighed. "I'm not joking here. We're getting married Lorelai."

"I know." She told him, he could hear the annoyance in her voice.

"Well, that means we're taking two separate lives and melding them together." He pointed out. "I mean, how do you think that's going to work?"

"I don't know." Lorelai said defensively.

"Have you given it at any thought at all?" Max demanded. He'd known that marrying Lorelai wouldn't easy. She had been on her own for a long time and had two teenagers, but he had assumed they'd both work at it.

"Not really." Lorelai admitted. "No… I mean, but I will. I'll start now."

Max sighed, knowing she didn't really get it. "How would you feel if I told you I haven't thought about our future at all?"

They had never even discussed whether or not they wanted children. He would like children of his own and he assumed Lorelai did too, but it had never actually come up.

"Terrible." Lorelai admitted. "I would feel terrible. I'm sorry. I mean it, I'm sorry. Please come here. Remember, it's all those little annoying quirks that make me the fascinating woman you fell in love with. Hmm?"

She looked up with her big blues eyes and he felt his resolve crumbling, especially as she leaned into kiss him.

"Really not fair." He told her, holding her in his arms.

She smiled. "I've got a lingerie drawer full of not fair."

Max sighed. "Okay. I mean, we didn't need to get into this tonight. I definitely broke Dean's late night cranky rule." He hated that he actually needed to take romantic advice from a 17 year-old boy, but it appeared that Dean might have a better idea of how to handle the Gilmore women than he did.


	21. Chapter 21: An Unexpected Development

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Twenty-One: An Unexpected Development

"You've been busy this summer," Francine commented a few days later. "We've hardly seen you and soon you'll be on your way to Boston."

"I'm sorry." Christa apologized. "It's just this summer has been so busy."

"That's ok," Francine told her, "You're young, you should have fun. It just hit me that summer will be over soon and you'll be gone and how much we'll miss you, even the fleeting glimpses we've had this summer. But it's good that you're busy, you seem to have made some good friends."

"I have." Christa agreed with a smile, though she was waiting for her grandmother to suggest that she stay in Connecticut. She was a little surprised that the subject hadn't come up yet, though both Straub and Francine had made it clear that she would always be welcome.

"Shira mentioned that Logan is having a little get-together this weekend at the Vineyard to celebrate going off to Yale," Francine said instead, "I'm surprised I haven't heard you mention it."

Christa shrugged. "I didn't think my parents would let me go because Logan's parents won't be there."

"You are in our care for another few weeks," Francine said carefully, "And I think your grandfather and I are capable of deciding what situations are and aren't appropriate, don't you agree?"

Christa looked at her grandmother, sure that she had to have heard her wrong. Francine was usually very proper and the fact that she seemed to be suggesting that Christa go off to an unsupervised weekend party that her parents would not approve of was **very** out-of-character.

"You're a smart girl, Christine," Francine continued, "And we trust you not to repeat your parents' mistakes. I like Logan and the others and I know you'll be in good company. So if you like to go, you have my permission."

"What about my father?" Christa asked, knowing that Christopher would not be okay with it and really, wasn't his opinion the one that mattered? Of course, as Francine had mentioned, she was technically still in the Hayden's care until school started again and she officially moved back in with Christopher.

"You're father put you in our care," Francine reminded her, as if reading her mind, "He obviously trusts us to use our judgment and he doesn't need to know the ins and outs of what that entails, does he?"

It would be very easy to pull off, Christa had to admit. She talked to Christopher on her cell phone and he rarely talked to his parents, so he would have no way of knowing exactly where she was. But at the same time, he **was** her father and it seemed really wrong to go out of State and not let him know. But at the same time, it was very tempting.

0

* * *

"My grandmother told me I could go to Martha's Vineyard with you guys." Christa told Logan and Colin that night. She hoped it wasn't too late, after all they would be leaving the next day. This was actually supposed to be the last time she saw them before Yale.

Colin grinned. "That's awesome. What brought this on? I thought you'd decided not to even ask."

The boys had been disappointed but at the same time had respected her decision not to make things worse with her dad. She knew that they didn't really understand the relationship she had with her parents, because it was so different than theirs, but they respected it.

"She brought it up," Christa admitted, "I guess you mom mentioned the party to her, Logan, and today she approached me and suggested that I go and just not tell my father."

Logan raised an eyebrow. "Your grandmother actually suggested that?"

"Weird, I know, huh?" Christa commented. "My grandparents have been a lot more relaxed lately, but this is definitely out of character."

Actually, as soon as Christopher started stepping up his parent game, Straub and Francine had seemed to get more lenient with the rules. Maybe because she was going back to living with Christopher and they could be fun grandparents instead of parental figures?

"I'm glad you changed your mind." Logan told her. "It wouldn't have been the same without you."

Christa wasn't sure she'd actually decided to go until the moment she had mentioned it to the boys. She'd been debating it all afternoon and she still didn't feel completely right about it, but she also didn't want to miss the party and she resented her father's new rules and thought he was being ridiculous.

She wasn't going to do anything stupid. Just because there were no chaperones didn't mean that she was suddenly going to decide to have sex, after all, it wouldn't be the first time she'd gone away with her friends. Though, Christa admitted, her parents didn't know about the overnight parties she'd gone to. That was a big selling point—the fact that she'd gone to other parties that her parents hadn't known about, and this time she actually **did** have permission. So, she would go and she would have fun and she would do her best not to feel guilty.

"He's right," Colin said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, "Having you there, will just make the party even better."

"I'm glad you think that much of me." Christa teased, but his enthusiasm, along with the grin on Logan's face, made her feel better about her decision. Colin and Logan were her two best friends and she wanted to celebrate with them. There wasn't any harm in that, was there?


	22. Chapter 22: So Hard to Stop

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Twenty-Two: So Hard to Stop

"I can't believe that in a few days you'll be at Yale." Christa told Colin as they walked along the beach.

It was their second last day at Martha's Vineyard and it had been a never-ending party. It was a smaller crowd than usual, just Logan's closest friends, but it had been a blast. Christa had to admit that she would have hated to miss it and that she would have been miserable at home knowing that everyone was off having a great time without her.

It was more than the partying though or the time with her friends. It was the time with Colin that she really valued. They had taken time away from the constant partying and whirlwind of activity to just be together. Not just to make-out, but to do things like walking along the beach.

"I have a hard time believing it too," Colin admitted. "Four years of high school just flew by."

"Must have been the partying." Christa teased.

"Must have been." Colin agreed. "You'll find the same thing though, the next two years will go by fast and then you'll be at Yale too."

"I could end up going to Princeton." Christa pointed out with a laugh. She knew that it would be one or the other, no matter what Rory hoped.

"No way," Colin told, "At the end of these two years, Logan and I'll have you so acclimatized to life at Yale, that you won't be able to dream of going anywhere else."

"You think you'll still want me around in two years?" Christa asked with a laugh.

"Always." Colin told her seriously. "I mean, I don't know if this thing between us will still be going on in two years, but I know you'll still be in my life."

Christa felt the same way. Colin and Logan were her best friends, the type of friends she'd never really had before and she already couldn't imagine her life without them. Sometimes she worried it would be weird when she and Colin stopped being whatever they were, but she hoped the friendship was strong enough to survive. She thought it was.

"By this time next week my mom will be married." Christa realized, changing the subject. It was Saturday and Lorelai's wedding was exactly a week away and then then the day after that, Christa would drive up to Boston.

"I'm sorry to miss it." Colin told her. He and Logan and the others would be leaving for Yale on Monday and apparently had some mysterious plans for their first weekend.

"It's okay," Christa told him and she meant it. She had invited him, but at the same time, taking him to her mother's wedding would have definitely given her grandparents' the wrong impression of their relationship. "It's a pretty small wedding."

"Is you dad going to be there?" Colin asked curiously.

"No." Christa told him. "I don't think my mom's ready for Dad and Max to meet. Plus, there's this whole thing that when she and Max were broken up, she and Dad had sex."

Christa wasn't 100% sure she was supposed to know that, but it had been pretty obvious. Besides, it wasn't the first time it had happened. Christopher and Lorelai had an odd relationship, to say the least.

"Your parents slept together recently?" Colin said with a raised eyebrow.

"Not recently," Christa said with a shrug, "pre-Sherri. This was when Dad dropped me off in Connecticut. So several months ago."

"Ah." Colin and then he let the subject drop. "We should probably head back to the house before they send a search party for us."

"Probably." Christa agreed and they headed back to the Huntzberger's beach house, hand in hand, ready to rejoin their friends and whatever shenanigans they were up to.

* * *

Later that night, the group had a bonfire to celebrate their last day and the end of summer. Christa was having a good time, chatting with Juliet and making plans for weekend visits, and just watching the mayhem.

But after a while, she felt the need to just get away from the crowd. She excused herself from the conversation and started looking for Colin when she felt hands on her waist.

"Colin." She said, turning around.

"Let's get out of here." He suggested.

She nodded and let him lead her away from the group. They headed back to the house and towards the room that they were sharing. As soon as the door closed behind them, they were in each other's arms.

As usual, Christa was overwhelmed by the intense emotions she felt when she with Colin and how easy it was to get lost in the moment. She wanted this, she wanted to touch him forever, to just get lost in the feeling.

It wasn't long before they were headed into danger territory, but the little voice of reason in Christa's head was strangely silent. Instead, all she could focus on was the feel of Colin's hands on her body and his mouth against her and how good it felt.

"Do you have condoms?" She asked a moment later, the words seeming to come out on their own.

Colin pulled away slightly to look her in the eye. "Are you sure?" He asked, obviously surprised. But then, she'd made it clear for months that she wasn't ready for this step.

"I think so." Christa told him, looking up at him. Her reason for waiting had more to do with a fear of pregnancy than anything else and right now that didn't seem like a reason not to do it. She had been on the pill since she started high school and if they used other protection as well… Emotionally she felt ready for this step and she understood that sex was serious and what it meant and while she wasn't ready for happily ever after, she liked Colin and she respected him and she couldn't think of anyone else she'd rather have her first time with.

And maybe there was a little bit of a now or never feeling because she was going to Boston and he was going to Yale and while they both said that it wouldn't change things, it probably would.

"Ok." Colin said and then he leaned down and kissed her again. Christa melted against him, lost in the feeling of the moment.

Then suddenly in the background she could hear people calling their names.

"We can ignore them," Colin suggested, "Or we can go back to the party. It's up to you."

Christa hesitated and pulled out of Colin's embrace. The spell of the moment had been broken by the reminder that they weren't alone. A part of her still desperately wanted to ignore the rest of the world and just go ahead and lose herself in Colin, but another part held back, maybe not quite ready after all.

Colin obviously sensed her conflict and made the decision for her, swinging his legs off the bed onto the floor and leaning down to reach for his shirt. "It's okay, Christa." He assured her. "This probably isn't the right place."

"Maybe not." Christa agreed, reaching for her own shirt, but a part of her still wanted to throw caution to the wind and lose herself in the moment.

Christa and Colin ended up sticking with the party until late and then crawled into bed, too tired for anything other than sleep. The moment had passed.

* * *

Christa woke up the next morning, still thinking about what had almost happened and what it meant. Did it mean she was ready? Or was it just a reaction to the setting and all the changes that were going on in her life? She didn't know.

Colin didn't say anything about it, he was just his normal self through breakfast and as they got ready to head home.

She had driven down with Colin and Logan and she drove back with them. The conversation was light, focusing on the fun they'd all had that summer instead of the changes ahead for all of them. Before too long, Logan was pulling up at the Hayden mansion.

Christa got out of the car and Logan and Colin did the same, with Colin grabbing her bag from the trunk.

"Have fun at Yale." Christa told Logan, giving him a hug. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too." He told her. "But there are still weekends. We'll have to set up something soon for you to visit."

Christa wasn't sure how that would go over with her dad, but she'd do her best to convince him. Maybe she could sell it as beneficial to her future, since it would let her get a good look at Yale.

"We should get going," Colin said after a moment, "I still have to make an appearance with both parents'." The last was said with an eye-roll.

Christa laughed. "Have fun with that."

Colin made a face and then he gave her a hug. "I'll call you once we're all settled in so that you have all our information."

"I'd appreciate that." Christa said softly and then she watched them get back in the car and drive away. It felt very final, even though she knew that she would see them again, she felt very secure in their friendship, but at the same time she was very aware of the fact that everything was changing.


	23. Chapter 23: The Bachelorette Party

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Bachelorette Party

A few days later Christa stood in the line outside the club along with her mom, Rory, Sookie, Miss Patty, Babette and Michel. It was Lorelai's bachelorette party and her mom had insisted on including her and Rory. Which was great, except it was at a drag club that was 18+. Of course, Rory considered this more of an issue than Christa did.

"They're never going to let me in." Rory protested.

"They will." Lorelai assured her.

"This is a felony, you know, corrupting a minor." Michel complained. "We'll all end in the bookie."

"He's right." Rory moaned. "We're all going to bookie."

Christa put her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Rory, don't worry about it. Let me handle it."

"Yes, let Christa handle it." Lorelai agreed. "Though, I have to admit that sentence scares me.

Christa laughed, knowing this was one of those times where her mom neither wanted nor needed details.

"We better get in." Michel muttered.

"We will." Lorelai promised, before getting a phone call, obviously from Max and stepping away for a moment.

Christa watched her mom, nothing that she didn't seem all that excited. It was her bachelorette, she was getting married in a few days and she was oddly calm. It was especially weird, because Lorelai was very rarely calm, especially about the big things. Still, she seemed happy talking to Max, so that had to mean something.

A moment later, Lorelai rejoined the group.

"Ok, new rule for the evening." Sookie told her. "No calls to fiancés or boyfriends or anything else like that. It's a girl's night out. Plus Michel."

Everyone murmured their agreement as they reached the front of the line.

"It's twelve bucks." The bouncer told them, "and it's eighteen and over."

Before anyone could say anything awkward, Christa handed her ID, the one she'd had made especially for tonight, over. "Do you need to see my sister's as well?" She asked, after the bouncer looked at it and then at her. He looked from her to Rory, obviously trying to decide if they were twins or just sisters who looked alike.

"No," he said finally, "you can both go in. Twelve bucks."

"That was easy." Rory commented as they entered the club.

Christa just smirked.

"I want that ID before you go home." Lorelai whispered to her.

"Ok." Christa told her. She had expected her mom to confiscate it, besides she'd only listed her age as 18 on it, so it wasn't a lot of use to her. Her normal fake ID was much better, but she hadn't wanted to risk having to hand it over to her mom, plus she didn't think Rory could pass for 21. Besides, it wasn't like Lorelai would let her drink, so why bother with a proper fake ID?

They all went inside the club, the subject of fake IDs temporarily dropped.

"This is a drag club." Michel realized in dismay.

"It's call the Queen Victoria." Sookie pointed out. "What did you expect, tea and crumpets."

"I think it's cool." Christa commented. "I've never been to a drag club."

Night clubs, yes, but never a drag club.

They started looking for a booth and Sookie seemed to spot one and was leading them there, when Christa caught sight of someone very familiar. Her grandmother.

"Oh my God." Sookie said stopping.

"What is my mother doing here?" Lorelai demanded, looking at the twins.

"I certainly didn't invite her." Christa said with a laugh. Though she kind of wished she had, because Emily in a drag club had so much potential.

"I did." Michel said with a smile. "I thought it would be a fun little surprise."

Christa heard her mother sigh, but they headed towards Emily's table.

"Excuse me sir, you look just like my mother." Lorelai quipped.

Emily sighed. "Hello Lorelai."

"Hi Grandma." Rory said with a smile. "Come here often?"

"I should say not." Emily told her. "I'd ask how you get in, but I think I can guess." She looked past Rory to Christa who just smiled.

"Hi Grandma."

Emily nodded and turned her attention back to Lorelai. Christa took a seat at the table, thinking the entertainment value of this night had probably gone up. Even if she was going to be stuck ordering Shirley Temples all night.

* * *

The group settled in and ordered drinks and then the conversation turned towards the wedding.

"I must say, I admire your composure." Emily told Lorelai. "The week before my wedding, I was a wreck."

"So was I, before all of mine." Miss Patty added.

"How many weddings were there?" Christa asked curiously.

"Let's see, there was Sinjin, John, Sergio, Sinjin." Miss Patty told her. "Three men, four times."

"Do you regret any of them?" Sookie asked.

"Well, Sinjin was a letdown the second time, but he was my Burton and I was his Taylor. Just wish I could've found a little Mike Todd there in the middle."

"My friend Colin's dad is like that," Christa volunteered, "He's on wife #6. I guess, it's that eternal quest for love."

Lorelai filed that information about Colin's family away. No wonder he was in the "no strings" camp, if that was what he had for an example.

"You should give him my number," Miss Patty joked, "I loved the idea of marriage, but I was better at the romance than the everyday stuff. I was a pro at falling in love, but always failed when it came to actually living with a man. But the romance… Oh, the romance was always amazing and that pre-wedding anticipation… I think that was my favorite part."

Lorelai took a big gulp of her drink, to hide her frown. She wasn't experiencing that sense of nervous anticipation. She was looking forward to the wedding yes, but it wasn't all consuming and, as Max had accused, she hadn't really given much thought to what happened afterwards. She'd mostly been going on with life as normal.

She dismissed her worry. Miss Patty was a romantic and did everything in an over-the-top way, her experiences wouldn't be the norm.

"You know, I can't believe that it was 34 years ago that I married Richard." Her mother mused. "I remember it so distinctly."

"Ooh, this is going to be a romantic story!" Sookie squealed.

Lorelai watched her mother with interest, romance and her parents weren't two words she would normally put together, but they **had** been married for 34 years and they always seemed fairly happy. No cheating that Lorelai knew of, very few arguments and no awful silences, either.

"My stomach was not my friend. It was full of butterflies, I couldn't eat a bite the whole week." Emily confided.

"What a bummer." Lorelai said flippantly. She definitely didn't have that problem. But then she enjoyed food a lot more than her mother did.

"I was actually weak in the knees." Emily continued, ignoring her. "Trembling all the time, can you imagine?"

"Really?" Rory asked with interest.

"When I wasn't actually with Richard, I was thinking about him. Constantly." Emily confided. "Imagining what he was doing, was he thinking about me? Making up little scenarios in my head about how we'd run into each other accidentally at the club. And he would be playing golf and I would walk by and he would be so distracted that he'd completely miss the ball. Silly."

"It's sweet." Sookie said softly.

"I was in love." Emily said simply

"It is wonderful to be in love." Michel commented and Lorelai saw that even he was swept up by the romance of Emily's tale.

"But the thing I remember most was that for the entire week before my wedding, I'd wait 'til my mother went to sleep, and I'd sneak out of bed and I'd put on my wedding dress and my tiara and my gloves, and I would stare at myself in the mirror and think how very safe I felt. How very right and wise and honored." Emily said softly and then after a moment, she lifted her Manhattan. "This is a very good drink. I highly recommend it."

"Okay, I have to make a call." Sookie said after a moment, picking up her phone.

"Are you calling Jackson?" Miss Patty asked with a knowing smile.

"No." Sookie denied. "Well, yes, but it's only because I need to pick up something I left at his house, that if it's still there, I should…." She trailed off as Jackson picked up. "Hi honey, it's me," Lorelai heard her say as she walked away from the table.

"And who are you writing to?" Emily asked of Rory, who had her phone out.

"I just want to see if Dean's around." She admitted.

"And thinking about you?" Emily said with a smile and then looked at Christa, who to Lorelai's surprise, also had her phone out. "And who are you writing to?"

"Just checking in with a friend." Christa said evasively. Lorelai was willing to put money on that 'friend' being Colin. Which was interesting, first because of 'no strings' and also because Christa wasn't exactly a romantic.

"Oh no, not you too." Miss Patty said diverting attention away from Christa as Lorelai stood up from the table, phone in hand.

"No," Lorelai denied, "It's just… I'll be quick." She walked away from the table and dialed her phone before she could stop herself.

"Hello?" A familiar voice asked.

"Lor?" Christopher asked in surprise. "I thought tonight was your bachelorette party."

"It is." Lorelai admitted.

"Did Christa do something?" Christopher asked after a moment. "Use a fake ID or something?"

"Yes," Lorelai said with a laugh, "But she had my permission and she's drinking soda, so she's not in trouble… I just… I just needed to talk to someone who knows me well."

"Well, I guess I fit the bill," Christopher said with a laugh. "I'm glad Christa's staying out of trouble and I hope you have a lot of fun tonight, Lor, you deserve it."

"Thanks." Lorelai said softly. She paused. "Chris, you can picture me married, right?"

"Yeah." He said immediately. "To the right guy, I can picture you married."

"Thanks." Lorelai said quietly.

"Christa says Max is a good guy," he added, "And that's what you deserve. You deserve the best, Lor."

"Thank you," Lorelai said again. "He really is a great guy, Max." She paused. "I guess I should be getting back to the party. Bye Chris."

She hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment. Why had she decided to call Christopher and not Max?


	24. Chapter 24: The Morning After

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Morning After

"Hi Dad." Christa said, answering her phone the morning after her mom's bachelorette.

"Did you have fun last night?" Christopher asked.

As much fun as one could have at a party with their mother, grandmother and uptight twin sister, Christa thought, but didn't say.

"Yeah," she said instead, "We went to a drag club and Grandma got drunk, which was pretty fun to watch."

"Emily was there?" Christopher asked in surprise.

"Michel invited her." Christa explained. "I think he likes messing with Mom, but it was fine."

"Your mom called me last night." Christopher said after a moment.

Christa paused. "Really? Why? I swear I didn't do anything."

"Don't worry, she wasn't ratting you out," Christopher said with a laugh, "She said she just needed to talk to someone who knew her really well."

Christa frowned, remembering how her mother had left the table after Emily's story. Had she called Christopher instead of Max, if so why?

Deep down, Christa wanted to believe it was because Christopher was Lorelai's true love, but she knew it was more complicated than that. Her mom was a few days away from getting married and her dad was with Sherri, even if her mom didn't know that.

"I think she's having a hard time believing that she's really getting married," Christa said after a moment, "And maybe she just wanted to ease her nerves a bit."

Except Lorelai didn't seem nervous at all. Not the way Emily had described.

"That must be it," Christopher said easily, "I just thought it was a little weird, but it's always nice to hear from her. He's a good guy, this Max?"

"He is." Christa said instantly. "He's great."

And he was. Max was a really nice, really reliable guy and Christa was positive that he would do everything he could to make her mom happy. Though, personally, she wasn't sure they really fit, but she figured she was biased since deep down she still wanted her parents to end up together. Even if that would probably never happen.

But at the same time, she wasn't sure that Max really got her mother's quirks. Colin had shared the conversation that he and Dean had had with Max the night of the triple date and how Max had seemed a little lost. Still, Christa knew he really loved her mom and she figured that was enough.

"I'm glad," Christopher told her, "Your mom deserves to be happy. I just, I guess I was a little worried after her call last night."

"I'll talk to her." Christa promised.

"Only a few more days and you're back here for good." Christopher said, changing the subject. "I can't wait."

"I can't either." Christa told him. She wasn't that excited about the new city and the new school and she'd miss her mom and Rory, but she was really excited to be living with her dad again.

"You are okay with coming to Boston, right?" He sounded concerned.

"I am." Christa assured him.

"It's just that you ended up spending the whole summer in Connecticut," he pointed out, "I thought you'd have been eager to be out of your grandparents' house."

"It wasn't that bad." Christa told him truthfully. Straub and Francine had been pretty easy to live with and they'd let her get away with more than Christopher would have. Like the unsupervised trip to Martha's Vineyard. "But mostly I stayed because I wanted to hang out with my friends and most of them will be at Yale this year, anyway. I've had a good year here, Dad, but I can't wait to come to Boston and have everything get back to normal."

"Me either." Christopher told her fondly. "I've really missed you, kid."

* * *

"You called Dad, last night?"

Lorelai looked up from her wedding detail list and gazed at her younger daughter, who was hanging around to help with the last minute wedding preparations. "Yeah, I guess I did."

It didn't surprise her that Christopher had mentioned the call to Christa, she had half-expected that he would. Though, she had figured she might make it at least 24-hours before it came up. Long enough for her to figure out what it meant, let alone how to explain it.

"Was it during Grandma's story?" Christa asked. "When Sookie was calling Jackson and Rory was texting Dean?"

"And you were texting who?" Lorelai asked, avoiding the question. Christa had never disclosed the recipient of her text message, but Lorelai had an idea.

"Colin." Christa said confirming Lorelai's suspicion with a shrug, as if it was no big deal. And maybe it wasn't, but Lorelai still thought it was significant given the 'no strings' nature of Colin and Christa's relationship. "I was just checking to see how he was settling in at Yale. But you didn't answer my question."

"Yes, it was then," Lorelai admitted, "It just seemed like a good idea at the time. I blame the Long Island ice tea." It wasn't that simple, but she didn't want to try and explain her thought process, especially since she didn't really understand it.

Christa nodded. "Ok. I just want you to be happy, so does Dad."

"I know." Lorelai told her daughter. "I am happy."

Or at least she wanted to be. She was getting married, it was a happy time and she was marrying a **great** guy, she should be on cloud nine. She should be feeling a lot of things that she wasn't. She shouldn't be calling another man during her bachelorette party. But she didn't voice any of those thoughts.

"Ok." Christa told her. "I should get back to Hartford and check in, so that Straub and Francine don't worry. I'll be around later to help with the small things. Ok?"

"Ok." Lorelai said, giving her daughter a quick hug and then watching her go. Once Lorelai was alone, she sat down at the kitchen table and stared at the wall, trying to decide how she really felt about everything.

Max was a great guy, one of the best she'd ever met, and yet… Was he really the right guy for her? Was getting married the right choice?

Lorelai sighed, knowing that she had to figure things out and that she had to do it right away.  
**


	25. Chapter 25: Goodbye Connecticut

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Twenty-Five: Goodbye Connecticut

"The wedding's off."

Christa paused at her sister's words, but at the same time she wasn't surprised. She had been expecting it since her conversation with her mom the day before. "Is Mom ok?"

"Yeah, she's just... I think it was a big decision." Rory told her. "We're going to go on a road trip, want to come with us?"

"No." Christa decided. "If there's no wedding then I'm going to go to Boston a couple days early. I wouldn't mind having some time to settle in before school started."

"Ok." Rory told her, though Christa could tell she was disappointed.

"Have Mom call me later." Christa instructed.

"I will." Rory promised and then hung up.

So the wedding was off. On one hand, it was too bad, Christa liked Max and thought he'd make a nice step-father, but at the same time, she was glad her mother had realized how she felt before she'd gone through with the wedding.

After a moment, Christa dialed her father's number.

"Hey, kid, what's up?"

"The wedding's off." Christa told him. "Mom decided not to go through with it. She and Rory are taking off on a road trip and I figured I'd head to Boston in the morning."

"The wedding's off?" Christopher repeated. "What brought that on?"

"I don't know." Christa said honestly. "I think Mom decided it wasn't right. Max is a great guy, but I'm not sure if he and Mom really fit, you know?"

Christopher was quiet for a moment. "Yeah, I guess I do." He cleared his throat. "I can't wait to see you. I was going to do some work this weekend, but I'll put in a few hours of extra time tonight so that I'm all yours."

"I can't wait." Christa said sincerely. "I'll drive up first thing in the morning."

"Call me before you leave." Christopher instructed.

"I will." Christa promised and hung up the phone. Talking to her dad made it official, she'd be leaving Connecticut the next day and putting a close to this chapter of her life. On one hand, she was ready. She and her dad were a team and Christa was looking forward to go back to their normal, but at the same time it was bittersweet. This year had been a big change for her. She had formed a deeper relationship, complete with some challenges, with Rory and grown closer to her mom and she had a new appreciation for Straub and Francine, plus she had met the best friends she'd ever had.

These last few months had changed her life and while she was ready to go back to her old life, with her dad, she was grateful for this time. But it was over and she was eager to see what life in Boston would be like.

She'd liked life in California, but hated being so far away from her mom and Rory and her grandparents. She'd loved Connecticut, but had hated not being with her dad. Boston would be the best of both worlds. She would be back with her dad, but close enough to see everyone else whenever she wanted. It would be perfect.

* * *

"We're going to miss you." Francine said the next morning as Christa packed up her car.

Straub had already said his goodbyes before leaving to play golf. He had been down-right affectionate for Straub, telling her he'd enjoyed having her there. He'd also given her an envelope with a very generous cheque to help her 'settle in in Boston' plus he'd promised to keep paying her credit card bill, though Christa didn't know how that would go over with her father.

"I'll miss you too." Christa said honestly. She'd always had a good relationship with her grandparents, but living with them had brought them even closer. They were stuffy and boring and very rigid in how they looked at the world, but she knew they loved her and she'd actually really enjoyed living with them.

"You can come visit whenever you want," Francine assured her, "Our door is always open to you."

Christa had half-expected her grandparents to ask her to stay, but they didn't. Maybe they knew she would say no or maybe they didn't feel like it was their place. After all Christopher **was** her father and he did have legal custody of her. This arrangement had always been temporary.

"I'll take you up on that," Christa assured them, "I plan on spending a lot of time in Connecticut." And as much as she loved her mom and Rory, their house was tiny and constantly sharing Rory's room was not her idea of fun, so the Hayden house would be her base of operations.

"I do have one thing to ask of you," Francine said quietly.

"Yes?" Christa asked warily.

"I want to present you to society," Francine told her, "It's a rite of passage for young women of a certain social standing. I'm sure that your female friends have either already come out or will soon."

Christa nodded. She knew that Stephanie and Juliet had come out the previous year and apparently the after-party had been epic.

"Sure," Christa said with a shrug. It was a pretty easy request. She had expected to have to debut at some point. "Whatever you want. Just tell me what I have to do."

Francine beamed. "Wonderful. I'll provide the dress, you'll just have to come for fittings and you'll need an escort. I assume you can find someone suitable."

Christa figured that she knew enough socially appropriate young men that she could get someone to agree to escort her. Maybe Robert. After all, she acted as a suitable escort for him often enough, she was sure he'd be willing to return the favor. "Yeah, I'll find someone."

"I was thinking that the Daughters of the American Revolution Debutante ball would be the appropriate choice," Francine continued, "It's a ball near and dear to Emily's heart and I'm sure she would be thrilled and while it's only a few weeks away, I know she can pull strings and get your name on the list."

Christa found it weird that the Haydens were on good terms with the Gilmores, but wanted nothing to do with Lorelai or Rory. However if it was one thing she'd learnt growing up among the social elite, it was that rich people were odd.

"Sounds great," Christa told her, because really she didn't care about the ball. She would put on the white dress and play the proper debutante for the day because it would make her grandmother happy and because, it was part of the life she lived. She had accepted her role as a society brat and that meant private school, boring parties and a debutante ball and later it would mean an Ivy League college education and then marriage to a suitable man. It had been her mother's idea of Hell, but Christa was resigned to the idea.

"I should hit the road," she said after a moment. She leaned over and gave her grandmother a hug. "Thank you for everything, Grandma."

"It was our pleasure," Francine told her, "It was wonderful having you with us Christine and as I said, come back anytime."

Christa nodded and then got in her car and a moment later she was pulling out of the Hayden's driveway, ready to embark on the next chapter of her life.


	26. Chapter 26: The New Girl

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Twenty-Six: The New Girl

"You ready for school?" Christopher asked her Tuesday morning.

Christa rolled her eyes. "As ready as I'll ever be." She looked at the red uniform skirt. "This uniform is really ugly though."

"Aren't they always ugly?" Christopher teased.

"Pretty much." Christa agreed, though silently she was thinking that Chilton's blue had suited her more than the ugly red of her new uniform did.

"I know it's not easy being the new girl," Christopher commented, handing her her backpack.

"I'm used to it." Christa reminded him. "Honestly, I'll be fine. I've never had any issues fitting in."

It was true, she was easy going and knew how to play by the rules of the upper class and that made the transition easier. Though, until Connecticut she had never made any close friendships and even those she hadn't made at school. But, she'd still made friends and managed to fit in and that was what mattered. She didn't need a new best friend, she was happy with the ones she had, she just needed to not be a social outcast.

"Well, I'd still like to take you out for dinner tonight," Christopher told her, "We'll call it your celebration for making it through your first day. Sherri recommended this place that she's been dying to try, so I thought we'd all go there for dinner."

Christa fought the urge to roll her eyes. Sherri, of course. She'd only seen her father's girlfriend once over the weekend, thankfully, but she'd come up in conversation a lot and it was obvious that Christopher was very serious about her.

"Sounds like a plan," Christa agreed instead, even though spending the evening with Sherri wasn't her idea of a celebration. Still, for her dad's sake, she'd resolved to play nice. "Oh, I wanted to ask you about something," she said, pretending she had just remembered.

"What?" Christopher asked with a smile.

"Can I go to Yale in two weeks?" Christa asked. "Colin and Logan have invited me up for the weekend. They want to show me around the campus. I can sleep on the couch in one of their dorms." To her surprise, Colin and Logan were **not** flatmates. She hadn't heard much about Colin's dormmates, but Logan had bonded extremely well with one of his: an Australian named Finn.

Christopher raised an eyebrow. "You think ten minutes before you leave for school is a good time to bring this up?"

"There are worst times," Christa said with a shrug, "Dad, it'll be good for me to check out Yale and see what an Ivy League school is like and Colin and Logan are good guys."

"They did seem like nice guys," Christopher agreed, "I'll think about it," he promised her.

Thinking about it was better than a no and Christa knew better than to push her dad. Still, she had one more tactic to try. "Thank you. It's just… It'd be nice to have something to look forward to, you know? To know that even if settling in takes longer than I expect, I'll have a visit with my friends to look forward to."

Christopher's face softened. "They mean a lot to you, don't they?"

"They're my best friends." Christa said simply.

Christopher studied her for a long moment. "And you're not having sex with either of them?" He asked her.

"No." Christa said honestly, though her mind flashed back to that last night with Colin and how close they had come to making her a liar.

"Then, I guess you can go," Christopher told her, "But there will be ground rules. We'll talk about it later, though, ok?"

"Ok." Christa said with a grin, giving her dad a hug. "Thank you, you're the best!" She knew that she had been manipulative, using Christopher's guilt about their frequent moves against him, but it had worked and that was what mattered.

* * *

"You're new here." The redhead sitting next to Christa in first period drawled.

"Yes, I am." Christa said dryly.

"I like the hair." The girl said with a smile. "My parents would kill me."

"My dad doesn't care," Christa told her, she laughed, "I guess it's one advantage to having a dad in his 30s." She wasn't ashamed of her back story and she found that her classmates tended to be intrigued by the circumstances of her birth; it was the parents that tended to be more judgmental. Most of the girls her age tended to find the story romantic or exciting, even though Christa knew that very few of them could imagine making the same choices that her mother had.

"So you're going to be the one with the hot dad," the redhead joked, "I'm Samantha Ashby."

"Christa Hayden." Christa introduced.

Just then the teacher came in and class started, ending conversation, but after class Samantha lingered.

"Eat lunch with me," she suggested, "after seeing the same faces since kindergarten, it's nice to see new blood."

"Sounds like a plan." Christa agreed. Well, this school was easier to adjust to than Chilton, Maybe because there was no Paris and even then, she'd had an easier time at Chilton than Rory had, probably because she had a very different personality.

"But if your father's not cute, you're on your own." Samantha teased as they left the classroom.

Christa laughed, confident that her friend's would indeed find Christopher attractive, her friends in California certainly had.

* * *

"Christa, this is Becca, Lara, and April." Samantha introduced at lunch time since Christa had taken the redhead up on her offer and joined her group. "Christa just moved here."

Christa nodded at the girls, all of whom she recognized from shared classes.

"Where did you move from?" Lara, a sleek blonde, asked, obviously studying Christa and trying to decide whether she passed inspection. Not that it was easy to tell when they all had to wear the same uniform, but Christa saw her appraising her shoes and her jewellery. No doubt checking to make sure she really belonged and that she wasn't a charity case. Because while brains were appreciated in theory, social standing was more important in reality.

"Connecticut, but before that we lived in California." Christa answered, just as her phone rang.

"Hide your phone," April, who had curly brown hair and a lot of freckles, advised, "There are teachers who will confiscate if they even see it. So uncool."

"We'll tell you which ones," Samantha promised, "Definitely Mr. Fraser, who teaches political science. He's a complete stick in the mud."

"I have him after lunch," Christa said with a groan said and then answered the call after checking to see who it was. "Hey Colin."

"Hey, I figured I'd see how your first day was going." He told her. "And hopefully timed it to catch you at lunch."

"You did." Christa told him, surprised that he had thought to call.

"Good and now I'm going to up your social credit," he told her, "Ask me about Yale."

"My first day is going well," Christa said with a laugh, "And I take it Yale hasn't asked you to leave yet?"

She could see the girls give her appraising looks at the mention of Yale.

"Not yet," Colin answered, "Are the other girls impressed?"

"Very." Christa told him. It was an easy gambit, but it worked because high school girls who dated college boys were always cooler. "I'm glad you called, but I should probably go since I'm not really supposed to have my phone."

"Yes, getting your phone confiscated on the first day would be bad," Colin agreed. "And probably not help our cause to get you up here as soon as possible."

"Probably not." Christa greed. "I'll send you an e-mail tonight sharing all the details," she promised before hanging up. When she did, she noticed that all four girls were staring at her.

"So who was that?" Samantha asked curiously.

"My friend Colin." Christa said with a shrug. "He was calling to see how my day is going."

"And he goes to Yale?" Lara asked and there was some respect in her voice.

"Yeah, he just started," Christa confirmed. "I'm going to visit him and our other friend Logan in a few weeks."

"I wish I had friends in college." Samantha sighed. "High school is **so** boring."

"High school boys are the worst." April added. "I'm so sick of the boys around here. I need new blood."

Christa nodded in agreement and grinned, pretty sure that she had found her people. It might not the same kind of friendship that she had Logan and the others, but it should make the adjustment easier.


	27. Chapter 27: Shared Experiences

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Shared Experiences

"I hate Paris." Rory complained to her sister over the phone.

"What did she do now?" Christa asked patiently. She definitely didn't miss Paris. It might suck starting at another new school, but at least there was no Paris at Henley.

Rory explained how Paris had made her late for the newspaper meeting and then assigned her the story on asphalt.

"She's jealous, Rory," Christa told her, "She's never going to be the most popular girl in school, but she had cornered the market on being the most driven and probably the smartest and then you came along and not only are you smart and hard-working, you're also sweet and you have actual social skills. She sees you as a threat."

It was pretty easy to see that Paris was insecure, it didn't make Christa like her anymore, even if she felt a little sorry for her. It was obvious Paris had a terrible home life, but that was the norm in the world of the upper class and it didn't give Paris the right to make everyone else around her miserable.

Unfortunately Rory also made an easy target, because she was the outsider, but also because of her personality. Rory was a people pleaser and in a lot of ways, she was too nice for a place like Chilton.

"How was your first day of school?" Rory asked after a moment, obviously not wanting to talk about Paris any longer.

"It was fine." Christa told her. "The uniforms are ugly, but the school itself is fine. I've already been invited to a party and been asked out on two dates."

Both seniors and Samantha had assured Christa that they were both socially acceptable, though one apparently had a bit of a reputation. Christa had turned that one down, because while she could handle herself, she didn't really want to be combating any rumors this early in the school year. But she'd said yes to the other guy, Jake, who was cute and had seemed nice enough.

"That's fast," Rory said and there was a little bit of envy in her voice. Christa knew that Rory hadn't had an easy time fitting in at Chilton, but then Christa suspected her sister didn't really want to fit in. Rory saw Chilton as a means to an end and that was it, she wasn't looking to make friends and fit in.

"After two years, everyone's bored and ready for new blood," Christa dismissed, "Plus Colin called me at lunch and now everyone knows that I hang out with college boys, which makes me seem cooler."

"That was nice of him," Rory commented, "How is he liking Yale so far?"

"He says the parties are great," Christa said with a laugh, "I'm going up in two weeks so I'll get to check it out myself."

"Dad is okay with that?" Rory asked, obviously a little surprised.

"There might have been a guilt-trip involved," Christa admitted, "But he said yes."

"Well, I'm sure you'll have a great time," Rory told her, "Harvard seemed so full of energy, I imagine Yale's the same."

Christa smiled. Rory had been full of enthusiasm about the road trip to Harvard that she and Lorelai had taken. It sounded like it had been a fun experience, but one that Christa was ok missing out on. Harvard wasn't really on her radar.

"I'm looking forward to it," Christa agreed, "and not just because of the parties, but just for the chance to experience a taste of college life. Two more years and that will be us."

She couldn't wait. High school was fine, but college was when life would really begin.

* * *

"You wanted to see me Grandma?" Rory asked, after the maid showed her into her grandmother's house on Thursday afternoon.

Her grandmother had called that morning and asked if she could stop by after school and since Rory had driven to school, she had been able to do that. Though, she had no idea why her grandmother might want to see her.

"Yes, please take a seat," Emily instructed, "I have just learnt that Christa will be coming out in a few weeks."

"Coming out?" Rory asked in confusion.

"She'll be having her debut into society," Emily explained patiently, "her name is on the list of potential debutantes for the DAR ball."

"Oh." Rory said. Christa hadn't mentioned it, but then Christa rarely mentioned anything about that side of her life. "That's nice."

"I'd like to put your name on the list," Emily told her, "It seems appropriate that you and Christa come out together."

"Uh…" Rory began.

"It's a crowning moment in a young girl's life," Emily told her, "Every young woman of appropriate social standing comes out. You might not think it's important now, but one day you'll appreciate it. Plus it would be so special for you and Christa to do it together."

Rory had to admit that part appealed to her. There were so few moments that she and Christa had actually managed to share and while she had never considered being a debutante, it wasn't the worst thing she could ever imagine.

"Ok." She agreed.

Emily beamed. "Wonderful! Let's go upstairs and try on your mother's dress." There was a note of sadness in Emily's voice as she mentioned the dress and Rory was glad that she'd agreed to come out. She couldn't undo the past, but she could make her grandmother happy now.

"I can't wait." She said with a smile and got up off the couch to follow her grandmother upstairs.

* * *

"So what did my mother want?" Lorelai asked Rory over dinner. Rory had mentioned that Emily had asked her to stop in after school and Lorelai knew her mother well enough to know she was up to something.

Why else would she ask Rory to stop by instead of just talking to her the next night at Friday night dinner? Obviously because she wanted something of Rory that she knew Lorelai would object to. Now Lorelai just had to figure out what it was and how she could stop it.

"She wants me to be a debutante." Rory told her.

Lorelai groaned. Ok, she should have seen this one coming. Not necessarily today, but she should have known it would come up eventually. "Ugh. I hope you said no."

"Well…" Rory began.

"Oh, Rory." Lorelai sighed and then went to pick up the phone, but Rory stopped her.

"Mom, it's ok," Rory told her, "Christa's going to come out too. That's why Grandma asked me, because she saw Christa's name on the list."

Lorelai paused, that part she hadn't expected. But then, it didn't really surprise her. They might call Christa the wild child, but at the same time, she was a proper upper society young woman. Christa wouldn't think twice about having a coming out, but Rory…

"You don't have to do it just because Christa is." Lorelai pointed out.

"I know," Rory assured her, "But it'll be fun. We'll be presented together. We don't get to do a lot of things together. Plus Grandma was so happy when I said yes. She made me try on your old dress."

Lorelai winced at the mention of her dress. The dress she had never worn. Of course her mother was happy, it represented everything that she wanted for Lorelai, but had never happened.

"It's just weird," Lorelai admitted, "This is all the stuff I ran far away from. I guess I thought you'd be running with me."

Rory shrugged. "It's just a party."

Lorelai studied her and then nodded. For her it was much more than a party, it was a symbol of the life she had rejected, but that was her issue, not Rory's. "When is the ball?"

"Three weeks from now." Rory told her. "I need an escort and apparently dance lessons."

"Well, you've got the escort covered," Lorelai said with a smile, "And I'll talk to Miss Patty, if you want to do this, then I support you. And we can make Christa come down and practice with you."

Rory beamed and Lorelai knew that it was being able to share the experience with her sister that really appealed to Rory and once again, Lorelai was left feeling guilty that the twins had been raised apart and given such different lives.


	28. Chapter 28: A Change of Plans

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Change of Plans

"Christa, how's school going?" Sherri asked over dinner one night.

Christa shrugged. "Same old." She hated having to make small talk with Sherri. She had been living in Boston for two weeks and Sherri was already getting on her nerves. First of all, she was always there, and she was so damned cheerful. But it was her influence on Christopher that really grated on Christa's nerves.

Life with her Dad was definitely different than she remembered. Not only did she have a firm curfew, but Christopher had insisted on meeting all of her friends and being introduced to all of her dates and she had to check in frequently. It was as if he suddenly didn't trust her and Christa found it really annoying, especially since she had always taken her freedom for granted.

"I was thinking we could go to the spa this weekend," Sherri told her cheerfully, not deterred by Christa's surliness. "It would be relaxing and give us a chance to bond."

"I'm going away this weekend." Christa told her.

Sherri frowned. "You're going to visit your mother again? You were just there." There was a censure in her voice and Christa fought the urge to roll her eyes. If she wanted to visit her mom and Rory that was her business.

"Christa's going to visit some friends at Yale this weekend," Christopher explained.

Christa watched Sherri carefully. This was the first time Yale had come up in Sherri's presence, because Christa had had the feeling her father's girlfriend wouldn't approve and she was worried about her influence over Christopher.

Christa wasn't disappointed. Sherri immediately frowned. "You're letting her go to Yale?" She asked Christopher, in obvious disapproval. "To visit a bunch of college boys?"

Christopher looked uncomfortable. "I trust Christa." He stated, causing Christa to smile.

"Of course you do," Sherri said sweetly, "But she's still a teenager and things happen. It's your job to watch out for her, Christopher. Is she going to be staying in a boy's dorm? That doesn't seem very safe."

"Colin and Logan won't let anything happen to me." Christa said quietly. "I'll be staying in Logan's room and he'll sleep in the common room." At least that was the official arrangement, Christa knew she'd really be staying in Colin's room and he wouldn't be sleeping on the couch. She also didn't think it would be as innocent as she wanted her dad to believe. She'd been thinking about Colin and about what had almost happened in Martha's Vineyard for weeks. She'd wanted it to happen. She still wanted it to happen. And maybe the time was right.

"See, Christa's got it under control," Christopher told Sherri.

Sherri was still frowning, but after a moment she forced a cheery grin. "Well, if you're going away this weekend, then we'll go to the spa next weekend."

"Fine." Christa agreed, even though she thought it sounded like torture, but she'd agree to anything if it stopped Sherri from interfering with her plans.

* * *

"What do you mean I can't go?" Christa asked Wednesday morning. "You promised!"

Christopher sighed. "Christa, I know, but I was thinking about it and I realized I'm not comfortable with you staying in Logan's dorm."

"We're just friends." Christa protested.

"Yes, and I trust Logan," Christopher told her, "But you don't know his roommates and things can happen. You're sixteen and it's my job to protect you."

" _She_ talked you out of it, didn't she?" Christa said bitterly.

"Christa, this isn't about Sherri," Christopher denied, "I'm trying to be a responsible adult here."

"You've always trusted me before." Christa pointed out. "But since you've started dating her, that's suddenly changed."

"She just made me realize that I was being a lousy parent," Christopher told her, "I'm not supposed to be your friend, Christa, I'm supposed to be doing what's best for you. You're sixteen, you shouldn't be staying out until all hours of the night and doing what you please. You should have rules and boundaries and no, you shouldn't be staying alone at a dorm with a bunch of college guys."

"Fine." Christa said sulkily. "I'll go to Hartford this weekend."

"No, you won't." Christopher told her. "I want you to stay here and I'm going to take your keys to make sure you do."

"What?!" Christa asked in disbelief. "You really don't trust me, do you?"

"I just remember it was like to be sixteen." Christopher told her. He sighed and looked at his watch. "I have to go to work. We can talk about this later."

"Whatever." Christa said sulkily, since she knew that she wasn't going to change her father's mind. Sherri's influence was too strong. It wasn't fair, this woman had come into their lives and was changing _everything_.

* * *

"I can't come." Christa told Colin over the phone that afternoon. "My dad changed his mind."

"That sucks." Colin told her. "What brought this on?"

"What else? Sherri." Christa complained. "She convinced him that it was irresponsible for him to let me go. She's changed everything. He used to trust me."

"I'm sorry." Colin told her. "That really sucks. We were looking forward to seeing you."

"I was looking forward to seeing you too." Christa said softly. Not only did she not get to go this weekend, but she worried that her father's new attitude would ruin her friendship with Colin and Logan. If she could never visit them, what chance did their friendship have?

Still, she'd worry about that later, right now she had enough to be angry about.

"There will be other weekends." Colin assured her.

"Not if Sherri has her way." Christa muttered. She sighed. "But I'll keep working on him. It just sucks that he changed his mind at the last minute."

"It does." Colin agreed. He paused. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Christa told him. "It's just… Living with Dad again, it isn't what I expected. I'm sure we just need to adjust."

"Probably." Colin agreed. "You have to get used to each other."

Christa hoped that was all it was, but after two and a half weeks, she was starting to worry. Things just felt different, it wasn't just Christopher's new attitude and rules, their relationship had changed too, it wasn't as open as it had been. There was a tension that had never existed before and Christa blamed it on Sherri.

"I guess," Christa agreed, "It sucks that I won't see you guys this weekend this."

"It does suck." Colin agreed. "Can you come to Hartford? We can bail on the party and meet you there?"

"No, Dad doesn't trust me." Christa said bitterly. "I have to stay here this weekend and he's taking my keys to make sure I do."

"That really sucks," Colin told her, "Well then maybe next weekend. We'll figure out something."

"Yeah." Christa agreed, but she wasn't optimistic. Stupid Sherri was ruining her entire life.


	29. Chapter 29: Weekend Plans

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Weekend Plans

"Still mad at me?" Christopher asked Christa the next evening. She'd barely spoken to him since he'd told her she couldn't go to New Haven that weekend.

She didn't answer, just kept reading her history book.

Christopher sighed. "Christa, I was just doing my job as a parent."

"You could have trusted me." Christa protested, putting the book now and looking at him.

"It's not you I don't trust, it's the situation. There are just too many things that can go wrong." Christopher told her. "I've been thinking about it and _if_ Colin and Logan can arrange for you to stay with a female friend in her dorm, and I will be verifying that, then maybe you can go up next month."

Christa considered that. It wasn't perfect, because she'd been looking forward to this particular visit, but at least it was something. "I'm sure they can arrange that."

"Well, then we'll do that," Christopher told her, "I'm just trying to look out for you, kid. And I know you are mature for your age and I know that I can trust you and I also trust Colin and Logan, but I don't know their roommates and I do worry about my teenage daughter staying in a dorm with four college boys, three of whom she's never met."

"I guess I can understand that," Christa said reluctantly, when he put it that way she could actually understand the problem. She probably shouldn't have presented it as "sleeping on Logan's couch", but she'd thought that would have gone over better than "sleeping in Colin's bed".

"Do you have any plans for the weekend?" Christopher asked after a moment. "Sherri says the offer of the spa is still open."

"Not a chance." Christa said flatly. She shrugged. "Sam's having some girls up at her family's cabin this weekend. She invited me, but I figured you'd say no."

"Just girls?" Christopher asked.

"Just girls." Christa confirmed.

"Let me talk to Sam's parents," Christopher said, "And get the details, but I don't see why you can't go."

Christa thought it was a poor substitute for a weekend at Yale with Colin and Logan, but it was better than being stuck at home doing nothing. Or worse having to go to the spa with Sherri. So, she took out her phone and called Sam. A few minutes later, she was handing the phone to Christopher, so he could verify plans with Mrs. Ashby.

"I'm not an ogre, Christa," He told her once he got off the phone, "And I don't want to stop you from having fun, I just want to take care of you."

Christa nodded. "I guess I can understand that." She said with a sigh, even though she still thought he was going about it the wrong way.

"I'll drop you off at school tomorrow and then you can get a ride to the cabin with Samantha," Christopher told her.

Christa sighed at the reminder that she had lost her car privileges for the weekend, and the proof that her father no longer trusted her, despite what he might say, but nodded. "That's fine."

* * *

"Who's that?" Lara said the next afternoon when they were hanging around outside the school. They were just waiting for April, who was talking to a teacher, and then they'd be leaving for Sam's cabin. "He doesn't go here."

Christa followed her gaze across the parking lot and her eyes widened when she saw who Lara was pointing at. "That's Colin!"

She couldn't believe her eyes. What was he doing here?

Sam grinned. "He's hot." She said appreciatively. "Go talk to him, he's obviously here for you."

Christa nodded and quickly headed in his direction. "Colin!"

"Hey, Christa." He said with a grin. He held out his arms and Christa stepped into them, giving him a huge hug.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, leaning against him and soaking up the feel of him. She couldn't believe he was actually there.

"I came to see you." He told her with a grin. "Since you couldn't come to us, I decided to come to you. Can you get away or will it cause problems with your dad?"

Christa thought quickly, realizing that her "girls weekend" could probably work to her advantage. "Give me a moment." She told him. "I just need to talk to my friend."

"Ok." Colin said. "I'll be waiting."

Christa headed back to her friends, unable to believe that Colin had actually shown up in Boston. She couldn't fight the stupid grin on her face. She'd always known that he cared about her, that he valued her friendship, but it was nice to have proof.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked. "Why aren't you going off with Colin?"

"I will be." Christa assured her. "But I'm not sure my dad will approve."

She was actually fairly certain that he wouldn't approve.

"I've got you covered," Sam promised, automatically getting what she was asking, "There's no cell signal at the cabin, so your father expects you to be out of touch and my mother isn't actually going to be there, she just tells the other parents that so they don't worry. So your dad will think your with us the whole time and will have no way of finding out otherwise, as long as you stay out of sight."

"You're the best." Christa told her with a grin. "I don't know how long Colin will be around, but if it's only today, I can have him drop me off at the cabin."

"I don't think he drove down to Boston for a few hours." Becca teased her. "That's some serious devotion."

"We're just friends.' Christa protested.

"Really good friends." Lara said with a grin. "And I don't blame you, I'd like to be friendly with him."

"Now go," Sam urged her, "Just fill us in on the details on Monday."

"I will." Christa promised and then hurried back to Colin. "I'm good to go." She promised him with a beaming smile.

He grinned. "Then let's hit the road." He frowned. "Your dad's not picking you up, right? I know you said he had your keys."

"No, I was getting a ride with friends," Christa assured him. "So I'm in the clear. But we might want to stay out of sight."

"Well, then why don't we go by the hotel first," Colin suggested.

Hotel. So obviously Colin was planning on staying more than a few hours. Christa nodded and followed Colin to his car. This was turning out to be a pretty good weekend after all, thanks to Colin.


	30. Chapter 30: The Right Time

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer in Chapter One._

 _A.N- This chapter appears in flashback in Sugar and Spice: More Things Change Chapter 13. It's not exactly a copy and paste though. I change some of the dialogue and expand on Christa's thoughts, because events don't always happen exactly as we remember them. This is a pretty pivotal moment in Colin and Christa's relationship and it's why it appears in both stories._

Chapter Thirty: The Right Time

"I can't believe you're here." Christa commented again as they arrived at the upscale hotel where Colin was staying. She was still so amazed that he was actually there. "What about the party this weekend?"

"It's just a party," Colin told her with a shrug, "there'll be other parties. Logan and I knew how upset you were that your dad wouldn't let you come to New Haven," he continued as he led her through the lobby. "So we decided to surprise you, but then Logan got summoned to Hartford this weekend for a command performance. He says to tell you he's sorry and he'll come down soon."

Christa realized that she hadn't even given Logan a thought, she'd just been focused on seeing Colin. It was nice that they had both wanted to visit though.

"So even if I had made it up, I wouldn't have seen Logan," Christa commented.

"Probably not." Colin agreed as they got on the elevator. "Which might have been awkward since you were supposed to be staying with him."

"It's a moot point since I wasn't allowed to go," Christa pointed out, "and it's all Sherri's fault. She convinced Dad that it's not 'appropriate' for me to go stay with a bunch of college guys in their dorm."

"Your dad's suddenly gotten parental, huh?" Colin commented with a grin. "It seems like a big change from what you described."

"It is." Christa confirmed as they exited the elevator. "It's like she's convinced him not to trust me." She sighed. "I told him that I'm not having sex yet but I don't think he believes me. He's never not believed me before. I've always had an honest relationship with both my parents."

"Which is a foreign concept to me." Colin told her. "Could you talk to your mom and get her to talk to him?"

Christa sighed. "My mom doesn't know about Sherri. Dad isn't ready to tell her. Which also makes it weird as I hate keeping things from my mom. It sucks. Everything sucks."

Christa didn't know why Christopher was reluctant to tell Lorelai about Sherri, but he was and it made Christa uncomfortable. She didn't like keeping things from her mom, but at the same time, she guessed that her dad's personal life wasn't any of Lorelai's business. Except it was starting to affect Christa and didn't that make it her mom's business? It was a messed up situation.

"He said I can go up next month _if_ you guys can arrange for me to stay with one of your female friends." Christa told Colin as they walked down the hall and stopped in front of a door.

"That can be arranged," Colin assured her, opening the door to the room and showing her inside. "We probably should have thought of it ahead of time."

"I know," Christa admitted. It was actually pretty stupid for them not to realize that Christopher might object to her staying at Logan's dorm. "It's just Dad's always been cool about this sort of thing and I just thought he trusted me. Apparently not."

"Where does he think you are right now?" Colin asked curiously. "I take it you were supposed to be somewhere since you conveniently have an overnight bag."

"At my friend Sam's," Christa told him, dropping her bag on the floor, "he felt bad about making me cancel my plans to go to New Haven, so he told me I could go with Sam to her family's cabin since it was supposed to be all girls. Cell phones don't work there and Sam and the other girls have promised to cover for me."

"And you wonder why your father doesn't trust you?" Colin commented dryly.

""Well, I wouldn't have to lie, if he'd be reasonable." Christa pouted. "This is the first time I've ever lied to him. Hell, I told him about stealing a car." And had gotten grounded for her troubles.

"Well, at least he was letting you go off with your friends." Colin pointed out. "He could have made you stay home where he could keep an eye on you."

"True." Christa agreed. "Though since he has my keys and my credit card, he has a pretty good idea that I'm not going anywhere." She looked around the hotel room or suite rather. "This is swanky."

"It's ok," Colin told her, "it's not up to the standard of a McCrae-Birch hotel, but it will do."

"Ah, the hotel snob," Christa teased. Her only experience with one of Colin's father's hotels had been the trip to New York and she hadn't paid much attention to her surroundings, but it had seemed nice.

"So your father thinks you're away for the entire weekend?" Colin asked, ignoring her comment.

"He does," Christa confirmed, "I'm not supposed to be back until Sunday evening."

"Well that's advantageous," Colin told her with a grin, "I get you all to myself."

Christa blushed a bit and looked around the suite. "Do you always travel like this?"

"I try to," Colin told her, wrapping his arms around her waist, "I admit, I'm picky about my accommodations. I booked this suite because Logan was supposed to come with me. I wasn't sure if you were staying here or not and when Logan cancelled, I kept my original reservation so you could have your own room if you wanted to stay here. If that was even possible."

"And what if I want to stay here, but I don't want my own room?" Christa asked, turning in the circle of Colin's arms.

"That's fine too," Colin told her, "I've said it before, I'm happy to follow your lead Christa." He looked her in the eye. "I didn't come here to hook up, I won't complain if that happens, but I came here as your friend because I thought you needed me."

"I do," Christa told him softly. She pressed her body up against Colin's. "I need something real."

Colin groaned as she pressed herself against him and caught her mouth in a passionate kiss.

Before long, their clothes were discarded on the floor and they had made their way to one of the bedrooms. They had been in this position before and Christa had always had clear rules in place, a definite stopping point. Except the last time they were together and then, they'd been interrupted. But now there were no interruptions, it was just the two of them alone in this hotel.

"This is getting a little out of hand," Colin warned Christa, panting to regain his breath. "Maybe we should stop."

"I don't want to stop," she told him, looking at him with her big blue eyes. "I'm ready for this Colin and I want it to be with you."

She'd been thinking about this for a while. In that way she was a bit of a hypocrite for being so upset for her father for not trusting her to go to New Haven, because while she **was** still a virgin, she had intended to have sex with Colin this weekend. She had made her decision long before he'd decided to surprise her, but his presence in Boston had just re-affirmed that she had made the right choice for her. It proved that he genuinely cared about her and her feelings and that she mattered to him as much as he mattered to her.

Colin paused. "Are you sure?" He asked. "This isn't a decision you should make because you're angry at your dad or because you're grateful that I came to see you this weekend."

"I'm not," she assured him, "I've been thinking about it for weeks… Since Martha's Vineyard. Afterwards I was sorry that we stopped and I kept thinking about it and wondering what I was waiting for and I realized I felt ready. I've thought about it since then, had a few dates, but none of them felt right for my first time." She looked him in the eye. "You're not just a guy I'm really attracted to, you're one of my best friends and it seems right to have my first time be with someone I really like and who I respect."

It was the absolute truth. She didn't have any illusions about her relationship with Colin and that it would end up being true love, but she cared about him, more than she cared about anyone else. She also didn't need sex to be about true love, she thought she was ok with it being about respect and affection.

"I like and respect you too," Colin told her, "you are one of my best friends, Christa, and I'd never want to hurt you. I don't want to make promises that I can't keep."

"You don't have to," Christa assured him, "I don't need sex to be a commitment. I'm still not the type of girl who needs strings. I'm not sure if I ever will be, but I'm ready for intimacy and I want it to be with you."

"If you're sure…" Colin said slowly, looking at her carefully.

"I'm sure," She promised him and he grabbed her and pulled her back into his arms and into a passionate kiss and Christa lost herself in the feel of him, knowing that there would be no more talking for a while.


	31. Chapter 31: A Suitable Escort

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Thirty-One: A Suitable Escort

"I guess I'm probably not going to get to see a lot of Boston." Colin teased later that evening.

"Well, it might be a good idea to lay low." Christa agreed. They were lying on the bed, snuggled up together, her head on his chest. "After all, we wouldn't want to run into my dad."

"Then we should just stay here all weekend," Colin suggested, "Where we know it's safe. It'll be a hardship, but I'm sure we can think of something to do."

Christa just laughed. She was surprised by how comfortable it had felt. She had thought it might be a little awkward, but it wasn't.

"Are you going to be in Hartford soon?" Colin asked after a moment. "Since it seems like a good idea to wait a couple weeks before bringing up the idea of you visiting us at Yale again."

"I have to be there next weekend." Christa told him. "My grandmother is making me come out to society."

"You're debuting next weekend and you didn't mention it?" Colin asked, raising an eyebrow. "That is an opportunity for a very good after-party, besides you need an escort don't you?"

Christa made a face. "Yeah. Ugh, I guess I haven't really given it a much thought." She had been so busy adjusting to the new school and dealing with Sherri that she had totally forgotten about the ball. "I'm just doing it to please Francine. The only good part is that Rory's going to be there too."

Colin looked surprised. "Your sister is debuting? That seems out of character."

"She's doing it to please Emily," Christa explained, "Also because I'm doing it. I don't think Mom's very happy about it, but she's going along with it." She knew that it brought back unpleasant memories for Lorelai, after all this was the life she had run away from.

Christa had heard the story of how Lorelai was supposed to be getting ready for her coming out, but the dress wouldn't fit and that was when she'd had to admit that she was pregnant with the twins. So, she'd never had her coming out and it was just the first of many things that Richard and Emily had planned for Lorelai that had never come to fruition. Christa knew that Rory was actually going to be wearing Lorelai's old dress and she was glad that she was a twin and Rory got that particular burden instead of her. But that was the way it went. Christa was doing this to please the Haydens and Rory to please the Gilmores, both of them facing pressure to "fix" their parents mistakes.

"So you don't have an escort yet?" Colin asked after a moment, playing with a strand of Christa's long hair.

"No," she admitted, "I was thinking of asking Robert, but I hadn't gotten around to it." She hadn't given much thought to it because she was confident she could find _someone_ , after all, she'd never had any issues getting a date.

"Robert?" Colin asked in surprise, pulling away from her to sit up. "Why Robert?"

Christa sat up as well. "Mostly because he's always dragging me to political events, so I figured he'd be up for returning the favor."

She'd actually seen Robert more recently than Colin. She'd gone to Hartford the previous weekend to see her mom, but also to go with Robert to a fundraiser for his father. They'd also e-mailed regularly.

"Have you mentioned it to him, yet?" Colin asked.

"No." Christa told him. "I guess I should, though."

"You don't have to," Colin told her, "I'll take you."

Christa blinked. "You don't have to do that." She told him. She knew how much Colin hated these type of things and she'd heard that he flatly refused to escort either Stephanie or Juliet. Apparently his father had forced him to escort a friend's daughter and the experience had been so terrible that Colin swore he'd never do it again. Which is why she hadn't considered asking him.

"I want to," Colin assured her, "I mean, you'd show up to a boring party for me, so why shouldn't I do the same for you? I'll get Logan and the others to show up and we'll throw an awesome after-party."

"Ok." Christa agreed. She'd been going to ask Robert because he seemed like the best and easiest choice, but she was happy to go with Colin. It just surprised her that he had volunteered and she got the impression that he hadn't wanted her to go with Robert, but that couldn't be true, right? After all jealousy wasn't part of their arrangement.

* * *

"So I'll see you on Friday." Colin told her on Sunday afternoon as he parked his car in Sam's driveway.

Christa nodded, then she reached out and put her hand on his. "Thank you for coming this weekend," she said quietly, "It meant a lot to me."

It really did. It wasn't even a romantic thing, it was just nice to know that Colin cared enough to drop everything and be there when she needed him. She knew that Logan felt the same way, even if he hadn't been able to make it, and she just felt so grateful for both of them.

"Anytime." Colin told her and she could hear the sincerity in his voice. "I'll be there anytime you need me Christa."

"Thank you." Christa said again and leaned in to kiss him.

He kissed her back, deepening the kiss until they both pulled away with a groan. "I could blow off class and spend another day in Boston." Colin suggested half-seriously.

"My father expects me back today." Christa reminded him. "But I wish you could stay." It was funny, she and Colin had spent the whole weekend together, barely leaving the hotel room, but it wasn't enough. She still wanted more time with him.

She had loved every moment of the weekend. Not just the sex, though that had turned out to be pretty great, but the time with Colin. They had talked and laughed and it had just been a great weekend and a great escape from all the tension with her dad and the Sherri drama.

"It's only five days," Colin assured her, "And Logan and the others will be around. We're going to make sure your coming out is a momentous occasion, I just wish you'd given us more time."

Christa laughed. "I didn't think it was a big deal."

"Christa, it's your official entrance into society and that should be treated with the irreverence that it deserves," Colin told her, "You now have a lifetime of boring parties and social obligations ahead of you, so we might as well make sure you enjoy this one."

"I'm sure it'll be great." Christa told him.

"Should we include Rory?" Colin asked her. "I mean, since it's her night as well."

"No." Christa dismissed. "I mean, it's not Rory's scene at all and she'll be with Dean, and…"

She had no issue sharing her debut with Rory, she actually thought it would be nice, but she didn't want to share the after party with her twin. It wasn't Rory's scene and Christa would just be on edge because she'd be worried about how her sister would react and that wouldn't be fun at all.

"Say no more." Colin told her. "But I will rally the troops and we will all be there Saturday night to celebrate your triumphant debut."

"I appreciate it." Christa told him sincerely, then sighed. "I should go inside. You need to get back."

"I do." Colin agreed with a sigh of his own. He leaned over and kissed her briefly. "See you on Friday."

"Yeah," Christa agreed, "And Colin? Thank you. For everything."

She got out of the car then and headed towards Sam's house, knowing her friends would want all the details, but her mind was full of Colin and the weekend they just shared and the reality of just how important he had become to her.


	32. Chapter 32: Mother and Daughter Bonding

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer in Chapter One._

 _A.N- I struggled with this chapter, which is why it took me so long to update. I wanted Christa to confide in Lorelai, but I couldn't see Lorelai being okay with the lying and sneaking around, so I went with the middle ground here. Christa is confiding in her mom, but holding some information back._

Chapter Thirty-Two: Mother and Daughter Bonding

Christa woke up Monday morning feeling restless and overwhelmed.

With Colin gone, the weight of what had happened that weekend had hit her, including the fact that she had lied to her dad. She needed to talk to someone, but it couldn't be Christopher, obviously.

"You look like you have a lot on your mind." Christopher commented as she came for breakfast. "Are you still mad at me about the weekend?"

"No." Christa denied, though she didn't know if that was true or not. It was hard to be too angry since she'd gotten to have a special weekend with Colin, but at the same time she was angry that Christopher hadn't trusted her and angry about the amount of influence Sherri appeared to have over him. "I just have a lot on my mind." She put her spoon down. "Do you mind if I take a 'me' day?"

It was a system that she and her father had agreed on years before, she got a couple of 'me' days a year. Days when she could just blow off school and in exchange, she never faked being sick.

Christopher paused and Christa wondered if Sherri's influence was going to have him eliminate 'me' days, but finally he nodded. "Go ahead."

"Thanks Daddy." Christa told him. As soon as he left, she grabbed her purse and her keys. She had been truthful about needing a 'me' day, but mostly she needed to talk to someone.

She needed to talk about her dad and Sherri and how she was having more trouble adjusting to life in Boston than she thought she would. And while it had been great to talk to Colin, it wasn't enough. Because she also needed to talk _about_ Colin.

About the way he made her feel and the big step they had taken and how that made her feel. But also how she'd felt about lying to her dad and sneaking around and just everything. And there was only person she could think of to talk to about all that.

Her mom.

* * *

"Mom?"

Lorelai looked up from her paperwork in surprise, because that wasn't Rory's voice. Besides Rory was in school. But Christa was also supposed to be in school. In Boston.

"What are you doing here?" Lorelai asked, after she had given her daughter a hug. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"Dad let me take a 'me' day." Christa explained.

Lorelai nodded, familiar with Christopher and Christa's agreement. It wasn't her way of doing things, but Christa was a different kind of kid than Rory and since Christa still got good grades and there had never been any problems with the school, Lorelai wasn't going to interfere.

"And you decided to drive to Connecticut for the day?" Lorelai teased. "I'm flattered."

"I need to see you." Christa told her and Lorelai suddenly realized that her confident, unshakeable daughter looked a little lost and she suddenly felt very alarmed.

"What's wrong, Babe?" Lorelai demanded. "Did something happen?"

"Can you get away?" Christa asked, not answering her question. "I just… I **need** to talk to you."

"Give me five minutes." Lorelai promised and quickly made arrangements for Michel to cover her duties, even though he groaned loudly and then she was exiting the Inn and driving back to her house, Christa right behind her.

"What's going on?" She asked, once they were settled on the couch.

"I need you to promise not to tell Dad what I'm going to tell you." Christa said softly.

"Honey…" Lorelai began. "I don't know if I can do that."

Whatever issues she'd had with Christopher's role in Rory's life, he was Christa's primary parent and he'd done a good job. It was why Lorelai had forced herself to back off and she wasn't sure that she should be interfering now.

"At least not all of it," Christa clarified, "If you feel like you need to tell him some, I get it, but... Some of this is private."

"Ok." Lorelai agreed. "I'll only talk to him if I think he needs to know."

Christa nodded and then sighed. "Dad has a new girlfriend," she began, "well, he's been seeing her for a few months her name is Sherri and she's **awful**."

Lorelai felt a pang at the mention of Christopher's relationship, but that pang turned to concern as she listened to Christa describe the changes at home. It wasn't that she disapproved of the changes, she fully supported some of them, but she wasn't sure how she felt that they were coming from Christopher's girlfriend instead of Christopher himself.

"Christa, why didn't you say anything sooner?" Lorelai asked her.

"Well, at first Dad asked me not to," Christa said with a shrug, "And then you were so busy with Max and the wedding and then the wedding happen and… I didn't want to bother you. Besides it wasn't so bad when I was here, but now that I'm living there… It's awful. She even got Dad to change his mind about me visiting Colin and Logan at Yale, because she said that it wasn't the right place for a girl my age."

Lorelai wasn't sure how to feel about that, since she had never been totally on board with Christa staying at a dorm with a bunch of college boys. Still, she thought Christopher should have thought that ahead of time and not changed his mind at the last moment. "I bet you were upset."

"Yeah." Christa agreed. "Mostly because Dad has always trusted me before."

"Did you go anyway?" Lorelai asked, wondering if that was what Christa was about to confess.

"No." Christa assured her.

Lorelai was relieved, because she would have felt obligated to tell Christopher if that was the case. "Honey, I know you're mad at your dad, but maybe you should be talking to him instead of me. You guys have always been able to talk about things."

"I know." Christa said softly. "But things have changed… It's more than just Sherri. I always felt like I could tell Dad everything, now I can't, because there are things I know he wouldn't understand." She paused and then looked straight at Lorelai. "Mom, I'm not a virgin. Colin and I had sex."

That was obviously the information that Christa didn't want Christopher knowing. Lorelai wasn't overly surprised. She had been expecting this for some time. Christa was getting to the age where her hormones were going to take over and of all the boys Christa had ever mentioned, Colin was by far the most serious and seemed like the most likely candidate for her first time.

"Oh." She said, because she wasn't sure what else to say. "Was it ok?" She asked, feeling a little awkward. She'd had the sex talk with both her daughters, but she wasn't ready for this part. "And were you safe?"

"Very." Christa assured her. "And it was great. Everything about it was great."

"I'm glad." Lorelai told her sincerely. Sixteen, on the edge of seventeen, seemed so young now, but then she remembered that she was mother by that age. It wasn't the path that she wanted for her girls, but it meant she understood teenage hormones and while she'd rather they waited, mostly she wanted them to be safe and to feel good about their first time and it seemed like that was the case with Christa..

"I don't want to tell Dad about Colin and I," Christa admitted, "I feel like he'd forbid me from seeing Colin if he knew. That's how unreasonable he is these days."

"Honey…" Lorelai said softly. "I'm sure he wouldn't." Yet, she was a little concerned about Christopher's sudden change of heart. She thought it was a good thing he was stepping up, but maybe it was to sudden. They had always trusted the twins. Maybe Rory was a little more manageable than Christa, but for the most part Christa had earned that trust and she'd always been open with them. Perhaps too open, like the time she'd told Christopher about stealing the car and this change seemed very drastic and Lorelai worried that that type of extreme sudden change would result in Christa rebelling.

"I won't tell him," Lorelai promised finally, "It's not my place to tell him your personal life, but try not to get too mad at your father. He's just trying to do what he thinks is best for you."

Lorelai remembered being sixteen and she remembered how she had hated her parents' rules and rebelled against them. And ended up with twins. Which she didn't want for her daughter. She'd also ended up with an extremely strained relationship with her parents, something else she didn't want for her daughter.

"Ok." Christa promised after a moment. She rested her head on Lorelai's shoulder. "Change sucks."

"Yes, baby, it does." Lorelai agreed, stroking her hair. "Now on a much less serious note, are you ready to be bartered off like cattle this weekend?"

Lorelai was relieved to see Christa smile. "I'm ready, but is Rory? Does she actually know what she's getting into?"

"Nope." Lorelai said with a laugh, relieved that the conversation seemed to be taking a lighter tone.


	33. Chapter 33: Evening Conversations

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Thirty-Three: Evening Conversation

"Are you ready to be a debutante?" Christa teased Rory on Friday night when she and Christopher arrived in Stars Hollow.

They wouldn't be staying there, Francine had been very insistent about hosting them, but they had stopped to check in.

Rory rolled her eyes. "It's not that big of a deal and it makes Grandma happy."

"I know." Christa agreed, though she was willing to bet that happiness was a little bittersweet because it would be Rory wearing that dress and not Lorelai. Never Lorelai. "Is Dean ready?"

She couldn't quite picture Rory's boyfriend at a debutante ball, but who else would Rory ask? Christa had considered offering to ask one of her friends, but she figured that her mom and Rory would take it as a slight against Dean, so she'd decided against it.

"The dance lessons stressed him out a bit." Rory admitted. "What about you? Who's your escort?"

"Colin," Christa said with a shrug, "He's done it before, so it's not a big deal. Apparently, his father made him escort the daughter one of his business associates at her coming out."

Christa had heard the story a few times and Colin always groaned when telling it and stressing how awful the girl had been. "There was a reason her father had to buy her a date," he'd complained. Yet, despite that experience, and his apparent vow to never do it again, for some reason he had volunteered to be her date. It was odd, but Christa was trying not to read anything into it.

"So no dance lessons," Rory guessed.

"No," Christa agreed, "but we can do one with you and Dean for solidarity if you like. I know you have a final lesson tomorrow morning."

"That would be great." Rory told her. "I'm so glad that we're doing this together."

"Me too." Christ told her. "And I'll be right there with you the whole time."

Emily had explained that with twins, they came down at the same time, one on each of father's arms and they would be announced in tandem. Christa really liked the sound of that. She and Rory did so many things separately, but in that one moment, at least they'd be a set.

* * *

"So, I hear you and Christa are having a rough adjustment." Lorelai said quietly, feeling like she needed to broach the subject. She would respect Christa's privacy and keep the part about her and Colin a secret, but she needed to at least touch base with Christopher about how lost their daughter was feeling.

Christopher sighed. "A little bit. What has she told you?"

"That you keep changing the rules on her." Lorelai said lightly. "And that she hates your new girlfriend."

"I planned on telling you about Sherri," Christopher began.

Lorelai cut him off. "Your love life isn't any of my business Christopher **except** when it affects Christa. What's going on?"

"Sherri really likes Christa," Christopher defended, "She thinks she's a great girl, but that she's a little wild. She points out that as a parent, it's my responsibility to set the rules and that I may have been giving Christa too much freedom."

"Do you really think suddenly changing the rules is the right way to go about it?" Lorelai asked him. A part of her agreed with Sherri, but she had stayed silent over the years because Christopher was the one who had custody of Christa, plus he was doing a good job. She had to admit that she found it a little irritating that his new girlfriend was given parenting advice, especially given how often she had bitten her tongue, knowing Christopher wouldn't welcome her advice.

"I don't know." Christopher told her. "But you've been telling me for years I need to be firmer with Christa."

"I have." Lorelai agreed. "And I think it's great that you're becoming more responsible and I agree, Christa needs boundaries. I think a curfew and rules are great things. But I think they should be coming from you, not your new girlfriend, because otherwise it's just going to cause resentment."

"I know." Christopher admitted. "But I don't know how to do it. Because I think Sherri's right. Maybe she's giving me the suggestions, but I'm following them because I think it's the right thing to do and I don't know how to make Christa see that. Did she tell you about last weekend?"

"She did." Lorelai told him. "She was pretty upset."

"I handled it badly." Christopher confessed. "I should never have told her she could go and then, once I did, I should have tried harder to come up with a solution instead of telling her she couldn't go at the last moment. She's barely talked to me since and I know she blames Sherri."

"She's a sixteen year old girl and he doesn't like being told no." Lorelai said dryly. "And yes, I think changing your mind at the last minute was part of the problem. She needs rules, yes, but they can't come out of nowhere."

"I want to do the right thing," Christopher told her, "And I just feel like I'm either going to screw her up or push her away from me. I just, I worry about her."

"Of course you do," Lorelai told him, "It's part of being a parent. It's easier to worry about Christa than Rory. She parties, she hangs out with college boys, she has a tendency to think rules are just guidelines. She's our wild child."

"Colin and Logan seem like good kids," Christopher commented, "I like them both and they've been good for Christa, but at the same time… They're in college and move with a different crowd and I worry about Christa getting in over her head. I also wish her best friends were female, instead of attractive young men."

Lorelai didn't know what to say, especially since she knew, and Christopher didn't, that Christa was now having sex with Colin.

"Sherri keeps pointing out that you can't be too careful, especially with young girls and sex," Christopher continued, not seeming to notice Lorelai's silence, "But I want to believe I can trust Christa. We've always been honest and I don't want to keep her from her friends. I told her that she can visit, if they arrange for her to stay with a female friend. Do you think that's the right move?"

Lorelai thought it wouldn't work, but she couldn't say that. She was going to have to urge Christa to confide in her dad, because she was now in a really terrible position. "I think it's a good compromise," she said instead. "You're taking the necessary precautions, but Christa still gets to have time with her friends." She paused, not wanting to give too much away, but feeling like she had to say something. "You can't stop her from having sex, if that what she wants to do. She's a resourceful girl, she'll figure out a way, we did. If you put up all these obstacles, you're just going to push her away and make it so that she sneaks around."

"I don't want to encourage her," Christopher protested.

"She's almost seventeen," Lorelai reminded him, "She's going to make her own decisions and her own mistakes. I don't want to encourage it either, I just know that it's a very real possibility that Christa will decide she's ready. And if she feels backed into a corner, well…"

"It's more likely she'll do something stupid." Christopher finished.

"Yeah." Lorelai agreed. She was sure that Christa hadn't made the decision to sleep with Colin lightly, and Christa had been vague about the circumstances, but she wondered if the new conflict with Christopher that had arisen this summer had been the deciding factor, even if her daughter didn't want to admit it. Christa was rebellious by nature and when things didn't go her own way, she lashed out. It was one of the many reasons that Lorelai worried about her more than she worried about Rory.

"When she was a baby, I was so scared and I didn't think I was capable of raising her," Christopher said suddenly, "Now I think back and think how easy it was back then."

Lorelai laughed. "Raising a teenager isn't for the faint of heart. One day their babies and the next, they're being presented to society."

It was Christopher's turn to laugh. "I have to admit, I never saw that coming. Our daughters, the debutantes."

"Yeah," Lorelai said softly, thinking suddenly of the dress that didn't fit and the coming out she should have had, with Christopher as her escort. Now here they were, about to watch their daughters come out. Life was a funny thing sometimes.


	34. Chapter 34: Debutante Preperations

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Thirty-Four: Debutante Preparations

"So, I'm going to a party after the ball," Christa told her father as they waited for Colin on Saturday morning. He was going to go to Stars Hollow with them to give Rory and Dean moral support for a last minute dance lesson.

"What kind of party?" Christopher asked her.

"A coming-out celebration," Christa said with a smile. "Apparently it's tradition. The boys are throwing it for me." She didn't actually know where the party was going to be. In fact, she knew very little of the details. Which was fine, as long as her friends were there, she knew she would have a good time.

"That's fine." Christopher told her. "Just remember you have a curfew."

"I'm the guest of honor," Christa reminded him, hoping she could talk her way out of curfew just this once.

"Two a.m." Christopher conceded.

Christa beamed. An extra hour was better than nothing. "Thanks, Daddy."

"I want you to have a good time, Christa," her dad told her, "I just want to make sure you're safe. But I can understand wanting to party with your friends and I appreciate that you're going through with this ball for your grandmother. It means a lot to her."

"I know." Christa said. Francine had been so happy the night before when Christa tried on her dress for the last time.

Just then Colin pulled up.

"Hey gorgeous." He greeted as he got out of his car.

"Hey." Christa greeted, feeling oddly shy. On one hand sex shouldn't change anything between them, but on the other, it kind of did. Colin leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. It might have deepened if Christopher didn't clear his throat, causing the teenagers to break apart quickly.

Christa stepped back, hoping her dad didn't sense any change in her relationship with Colin. She didn't want him to get his suspicious. She felt a pang of guilt even as she thought that because she wasn't used to actively lying to her father and it felt wrong.

"Nice to see you again Colin." Christopher said politely.

"You too, sir." Colin said with a smile. He seemed completely unfazed by Christopher's presence. "Were we all going to drive together?"

"I thought I'd take my own car." Christopher told him. "You and Christa can drive together."

Ok, so he didn't seem to think anything weird was going on. That was good.

"My car or yours?" Christa asked Colin, though she knew the answer.

"Mine." He said instantly. "Yours is basically a Matchbox car."

"I like my car." Christa defended. She loved her sporty little car, though it didn't have a ton of leg-room.

Christopher and Colin both laughed.

"I'll see you at your mom's." Christopher told her kissing her head and then heading towards his car.

Christa and Colin did the same, heading towards his SUV.

As soon as they were inside, Colin leaned over and kissed her again, deeper this time. "That's a better hello," he said with a grin.

"I agree." Christa said with a smile. "So my dad is cool with the party tonight, but I have to be home at 2."

"I figured that your curfew was still in place." Colin told her. "I'll make sure you get home on time, I promise."

"Where is the party?" Christa asked, realizing she had no idea. Logan and Colin had kept her in the dark about all the plans.

"My place." Colin told her. "My father is in Europe, so the timing was perfect. But no more questions, you have to trust that Logan and I know how to throw a party."

"All right." Christa agreed with a laugh. "Though I didn't need a party."

"You have a life time of social obligation ahead of you," Colin reminded her, "You deserve a party."

* * *

Rory sighed as she and Dean practiced their dancing. This was way harder than it looked.

"Now, keep counting in your heads." Miss Patty instructed. "Look each other in the eye. Dean, are you leading?"

"I have no idea." Dean told her.

"Okay, stop." Miss Patty instructed. "Now remember, one of the most important things in ballroom dancing is to remember to spot, otherwise you're going to get dizzy. So, what you want to do is pick out something to focus on. I usually like to find a lonely seaman. Then when turning, whip your head around and find your spot again." She spun around in demonstration. "Hello sailor, hello sailor, hello sailor. Now you try it."

"You've got to be kidding me." Dean sighed.

"I think you can leave out the 'hello sailor' part." Rory offered. Dean had not been enthusiastic about being her escort. He wasn't thrilled about renting a tuxedo, the dancing lessons, or the evening in her grandparents' company and she didn't blame him, she knew this was outside his comfort zone.

Just then, Lorelai, Christopher, Christa and Colin arrived.

"Is this a private dance lesson or can we jump in?" Christa asked. "Hey Dean."

"Please, please jump in." He told her. He nodded at Colin. "Hi Colin."

"Hello." Colin said politely. He grinned at Christa. "We've never done this, you going to step on my feet?"

"Who me?" Christa teased.

Colin laughed and he took Christa's hand. Rory watched as the pair effortlessly danced together.

"I think you got all the talent." Rory complained.

Christa laughed. "I think I paid more attention in dance lessons that you did."

"I take it you didn't try and read through your lessons," Miss Patty said with a pointed look at Rory.

Rory blushed, remembering the disastrous ballet lessons of her childhood. It wasn't her fault that reading was more interesting than dancing.

"And you young man, you dance like a dream." Miss Patty said giving Colin a look over. "If I were only ten years younger, I'd steal you away."

Rory had to stifle a giggle at the look on Colin's face.

"Why don't we switch partners for a few dances?" Christa suggested after a moment. "It might give you and Dean a better idea."

"Ok." Rory agreed.

Dean nodded. "Sure."

Colin offered his hand to Rory. "May I have this dance?"

"Yes." She said and took it.

He led her onto the dance floor and Rory had to admit it was easier when you knew who was leading, though she still stumbled.

She looked over and saw that Dean was still struggling, though Miss Patty and Christa were encouraging him.

"I think we're hopeless," She said with a laugh.

"It just takes practice." Colin told her. "And really all you need for tonight is to make sure you don't fall down, no one's going to be grading you."

"Staying upright isn't a guarantee," Rory joked, but she was comforted by Colin's words. Besides this was just for fun and to please her grandparents, it's not like it really meant anything to her or her life.


	35. Chapter 35: Presenting the Gilmore Twins

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Thirty-Five: Presenting the Gilmore Twins

Rory was a little intimidated as she arrived at the ballroom. It was huge and the stairs were crazy. She said goodbye to her mom and made her way to the preparation room, to her relief her sister was already there.

"Hey Rory." Christa said with a smile, motioning her over. "I saved you a spot."

"Thanks." Rory said. She stopped and hung up her dress and then headed over to the mirror. "I can't believe we have an hour and a half."

It seemed like way too much time, but then Rory wasn't really one for make-up. Christa was, but Rory didn't think it took her **that** long to get ready. Or at least it hadn't the few times they'd gone to a party together.

"I know!" The girl beside her, who was getting her hair done, exclaimed. "I am never going to be ready in time."

Christa and Rory exchanged looks.

"God only knows if the swelling on my nose is going to go down." The girl continued. "I had to go and inherit my father's nose." She smiled. "I'm Libby."

"Rory."

"Christa."

Libby looked at them. "You're twins."

"Yeah," Rory agreed, thinking it was pretty obvious.

"I'd hate to share the spotlight like that," Libby mused and then she turned back to her table and held up two lipsticks. "Which one should I wear? I've thought about this all month and I cannot decide."

"Oh, well, that's a tough one." Rory said, looking over at Christa, who was smirking.

"I know." Libby said seriously. "This is red-red, and this is orange red. The wrong one and I will end up looking like a hooker. Or a teacher."

"The red-red." Christa told her. "It pops."

Libby looked at Christa, took in her appearance and smiled. "Ok. One thing out of the way. It's just a lot of pressure you know? The two minutes we are standing on those stairs tonight will determine the social status for the rest of our lives."

Rory wrinkled her nose. That seemed crazy to her. This was just something she was doing to share with her sister and to please her grandmother. It didn't matter. Did it matter to Christa?

From the expression on her face, not really. This might be Christa's future, but she didn't seem to be taking it too seriously. But then Christa never took anything too seriously.

As Rory expected, it didn't take her and Christa that long to finish their hair or make-up and change into their gowns.

They were sitting and chilling when Libby wandered back over to them, holding a flask. "Midori sour?"

"Oh, no thanks." Rory told her.

"Sure." Christa said and took a swig.

"Do you guys have a good girl, bad girl thing going?" Libby asked as she took the flask going back from Christa. "Is that how you guys differentiate yourselves?"

"No. We're just different people." Rory told her.

"At my first coming out, there were twins and they fought all night, each accusing the other of stealing their spotlight." Libby mused.

"Your first coming out?" Christa asked, taking the flask back.

"Oh, this is my fifth one this year." Libby told her.

"Wow." Rory told her. She had kind of assumed this was a 'once and done' kind of occasion.

"You know, they say four out of five debs marry their escorts." Libby told them.

"Kind of like the dentists with Trident." Rory joked.

Libby ignored her. "Well, I figure, five coming out balls, five escorts, one of them has to stick, right?"

"Good logic." Rory told her.

Christa was smirking.

"So, is your escort the one?" Libby asked her as she took a swig from her flask.

"The one what?" Rory asked in confusion.

"The one you're going to marry." Libby elaborated.

"Uh…" Rory began. She was sixteen, she didn't want to think about marriage for a long time. She loved Dean, but… Marriage? She wasn't thinking that far ahead.

"What about you?" Libby asked Christa. "Do you think you'll marry your escort?"

Christa shrugged. "Who knows. Maybe."

Rory blinked at the answer. Maybe? Christa wouldn't call Colin her boyfriend, but she wouldn't rule out marrying him? Of course, Christa was more used to the craziness that came with this world and the archaic attitudes than Rory was. It occurred to Rory that she had no idea what her sister expected from her future. Surely she wanted more than to marry well though, right?

* * *

Dean was pacing. This was awful. The tuxedo and the guys who he didn't know and had nothing in common with. Then later there would be dancing and a room full of people and Rory's grandparents… Yeah, pretty much everything about this night was awful. Except Rory.

"You doing ok?" A voice asked from behind him.

Dean turned to see Colin standing there. "Oh, hey, yeah."

"These things suck." Colin told her. "And it really sucks for the escort, since we're basically a prop. There's a lot of standing around." Colin pulled a flask out of his pocket. "Scotch?"

"Uh, no." Dean told him.

Colin nodded and put it back in the jacket. "The scotch makes it a little more bearable." He made a face. "After the last time I did once of these things, I swore never again."

"But Christa talked you into it?" Dean guessed. Gilmore girls could be **very** persuasive.

Colin shrugged. "Something like that." He motioned over Dean's shoulder, "the girls are coming if you want to go say hi."

"Yeah." Dean said gratefully.

He and Colin headed over to the line. Christa and Rory were standing together and, while their dresses weren't identical, they were similar enough that Dean had to pause for a moment to differentiate which sister was which, since they were both wearing their hair up and Christa's purple streaks weren't easily visible.

"It's kind of amazing how much they look alike, isn't it?" Colin commented. "Usually, it's easy to forget that they're twins."

"Yeah…" Dean agreed, though as he got closer, it was easier to tell which one was which. Because Rory still looked like Rory.

"Hey," he told her, "I just wanted to see you before you became a proper lady of society."

He was still a little freaked about by the whole thing. He'd never ever imagined being the escort at a debutante ball, he also always felt a little uncomfortable when confronted with the other side of Rory's life. The one where he didn't belong.

"So what do you think?" Rory asked with a smile.

"I think you look like a cotton ball." He teased.

Rory laughed. "Why, thank you Jeeves."

"But a really cute cotton ball." He added.

Just then a blonde girl walked up to them. "Oh my God, is this your escort?"

"Yeah." Rory confirmed.

She whispered something in Rory's ear that Dean couldn't hear that made Rory blush and then moved on, pausing to talk to Christa for a second.

"What did she say?" Dean asked curiously.

Rory blushed deeper, but before she could answer, Christa grabbed her arm. "It's time."

"And we need to get downstairs." Colin told Dean.

Dean nodded and followed the older boy down the stairs, sparing one last look at Rory. She looked beautiful, but she didn't look like **his** Rory.

* * *

Lorelai stood with a drink in her hand, wishing this night was over. She was basically on her own, because her father was nowhere to be found and her mother kept disappearing.

She had spotted Christopher's parents briefly, but kept her distance. The Haydens were not her favorite people and while she appreciated everything they did for Christa, she didn't enjoy their company and she knew the feeling was mutual.

"We should be sitting," her mother said from behind her, "our table is over there."

Lorelai nodded and followed her mother and then fought the urge to sigh when she saw Francine and Straub at the table. "Straub. Francine."

"Lorelai." Straub greeted coolly.

"You look well." Francine said more cordially. "Have you seen Christine?"

"Not yet." Lorelai told her, "But she and Rory will be down in a moment."

Francine nodded, but didn't say anything else. Probably because Rory's name had been mentioned.

Just then her father joined the table. Lorelai noticed that her parents were barely looking at each other, but that they seemed resolved not too fight. Maybe because the Haydens were there.

There was a moment of awkward silence and then a woman at the podium began to speak and everyone turned their attention to her, happily ignoring each other. Though her speech was pretty boring.

Lorelai gripped her drink, wishing she could down it, but her mother would kill her and besides, if she did, then she wouldn't have a drink and this was an occasion when she needed a drink. After what seemed like an eternity, the woman began to announce the names

"Elizabeth Dotie, daughter of George Edward Dotie the fourth, and Eleanor Dotie." She announced, as a very tipsy looking blonde made it down the stairs on her father's arm. Lorelai was suddenly very proud of Christa, because while she was positive her daughter drank, she hid it well-you would never catch Christa obviously drunk in public.

As the blonde swayed to her escort, Lorelai could see her daughters at the top of the stairs.

"Lorelai Gilmore-Hayden and Christine Gilmore-Hayden, daughters of Christopher Hayden and Lorelai Gilmore."

Lorelai watched as Christopher walked down the stairs with a daughter on each arm. It was a tight fit on the stairs, but they made it. Colin and Dean were waiting at the bottom and after a moment, Christopher handed over his girls, who then took their place with the other debutantes.

Lorelai bit her lip at the sight of the three of them together. It looked so right. This was the life she had never wanted for herself and yet, this moment, straight out of the life she had rejected, was getting to her. Because it seemed pretty perfect.

The table was still silent and everyone was focused on the twins, , but as Lorelai glanced at her mother, she knew that she wasn't the only one thinking about what might have been and roads not taken. In fact, she was sure that they all were.


	36. Chapter 36: The Fun Part

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Fun Part

"Ready to get out of here, kid?" Lorelai asked Rory a little while later, when the official presentation was over and the debutantes had been instructed to mingle.

"Oh, yeah." Rory told her. She cast an awkward look at her, well, grandparents, who were talking to Christa. They had greeted her very stiffly and then focused their attention on Christa, their **real** granddaughter. "I just need to say goodbye to Christa."

Oddly, her Gilmore grandparents had already left, congratulating her and then making a hasty departure. Rory could tell they were upset and that worried her, but she knew she couldn't do anything about it tonight. Still, with them gone, there was no reason for her to stick around.

"We get to go?" Dean asked, perking up.

"We get to go." Rory confirmed. She was trying to force herself to go talk to Christa and the Haydens, when she saw her twin heading her way, Colin right behind her.

"So we are now officially presented to society," Christa said with a laugh, "Do you feel like a proper lady?"

"No." Rory told her. "What about you?"

"Not a chance." Christa said. "I've got a lot of fun ahead of me, before I worry about proper." She smirked. "I don't want to take it too seriously, or we'll end up like poor Libby."

Rory stifled a giggle, remembering the other girl and then she grinned at her father who had come over to join their little group. "Did you know that you're considered a hot Dad?"

"Hah." Lorelai said with a laugh.

Christopher looked taken aback. "Really?"

"Oh yeah." Christa confirmed. "All the girls at school have crushes on you. It ups my cool factor."

Rory laughed. "Libby said that it's too bad you're my real Dad because if you were my stepdad, I could steal you away from Mom."

Her parents both looked awkward for a second and Rory suddenly remembered Christopher's girlfriend, the one she hadn't met yet, but who Christa hated.

"Ugh." Lorelai said with an eye-roll and the moment passed.

"That Libby's got a good life ahead of her." Christopher said dryly.

"She's got a plan. She's had five coming outs, so that she can guarantee a husband." Christa told them.

Colin groaned. "And girls like that are why I hate these things. Speaking of which, you've been properly presented, it's time to get to the good part."

Rory assumed that the good part meant a party. After all, Christa's life often seemed to be one giant party.

"Yes," Christa agreed with a laugh, "We're heading out now. Mom, Rory, I'll stop in before I head home tomorrow. Dad, I'll see you back at the house."

"Two o'clock." Christopher reminded her.

"Got it." Christa agreed. She gave Rory a quick hug. "I'm glad you were here, Rory, I wouldn't have wanted to do it without you."

"Me either." Rory agreed with a smile. It had been fine, pretty painless actually, but having Christa there had made it so much better.

"I need a burger," Lorelai said after Christa disappeared, "so why don't we head home and go get some real food."

"Sound like a plan." Rory said with a smile, knowing it wasn't as exciting as whatever Christa was up to, but it was more her. As nice as it was to share these moments with her sister, at the end of the day, they were still very different.

* * *

"There she is, the girl of the night!" Logan called out when Christa and Colin arrived at the party, with most of their friends having skipped out of the ball as soon as they could.

There was applause from the crowd and Christa laughed.

"You were very elegant." One of the girls complimented. "I felt like an elephant going down those stairs."

"You also managed to keep a straight face," Jonathan added with a grin, "unlike _someone_."

Juliet rolled her eyes. "So, I laughed inappropriately, the only person who cared was my mother and nothing's going to please her anyway."

Christa laughed, because she'd heard the stories about Stephanie and Juliet's coming out and how Juliet had made an enemy for life when she'd laughed at one of her fellow debutantes, who had apparently been a complete snob who thought she was the queen bee, when she had tripped at the bottom step.

"Speaking of queen bitches, did Amelia Adams do anything?" Juliet asked.

"Amelia…" Christa gave it some thought. "Tall, brunette, sour expression? She didn't say anything to me, but she did have a hissy fit because some girl was blocking her light."

"Normally, she tries to control everything." Juliet complained, leading Christa to guess there was some history there.

"Must be a family trait," Colin said with an eye-roll that Christa noted, but didn't comment on since she had no idea who Amelia might be related to, but that wasn't unusual, after all she had only been in Hartford for a short period of time and didn't know everyone, only the members of her own exclusive circle.

"So do we start making offers to your parents now?" Logan teased, changing the subject. "Or can it wait until tomorrow?"

"I think my mother would rather wait until I was at least done high school before I picked a spouse." Christa told him.

"Proof that she's not your typical society mother," Stephanie joked, unusually friendly, "I think my mother bought it into the whole 'debutantes marry their escort' and was disappointed when I didn't even go on another date with mine."

Christa laughed and then told them all about Libby and her desire to guarantee a husband.

"If you decide to follow her lead, I'll volunteer for the next go around," one of the guys teased.

"I think I'm good." Christa said dryly. "I can't imagine doing that more than once."

There was more laughter and then people started mingling and getting drinks and Colin was taking her arm and leading her over to a handsome young man she had never seen before.

"Christa, meet Finnegan Rothschild, my dorm mate and our new partner in crime." Logan introduced.

Christa grinned. So this was Finn. She'd heard all about the Australian and how he was apparently a worthy match for Colin and Logan.

"Nice to meet you," she said with a smile, "hopefully you weren't too bored tonight."

"I'm never bored when there's alcohol involved," he assured her, "besides I was dying to meet the famous Christa and you live up to your reputation. Even if you aren't a redhead."

"Finn's obsessed with redheads," Colin told her, "Apparently they are superior to all other women."

The night passed quickly in a whirl of laughter. It was a good party and Christa was pleased that everyone had made it down for the weekend. She knew it was partially because Colin and Logan threw a good party, but she knew that part of it was her and that these people had become her dearest friends.

"You looked very proper out there tonight," Colin teased a while later, after they escaped the party for some privacy. They were lying on his bed, her head on his chest and he was running his fingers through her hair, which she'd taken out of the painful up-do Francine had insisted on. "Very un-Christalike."

Christa laughed. "I can fake it."

"It's a good skill to have in this world," Colin agreed. "So four out of five debs marry their escort, huh? Should I get my father's lawyers to draw up a contract?"

Christa laughed. "I rarely follow the crowd."

"I can think of worse things." Colin told her with a shrug.

She raised an eyebrow. "You want to run off and get married?"

"No." Colin told her. "But honestly, I know I'm going to have an arranged, socially-appropriate marriage and you're better than any of the other options because I can actually stand to be around you."

"That's very cynical," Christa told him, but she knew he had a point.

"My father is on wife #6," Colin pointed out, "I think I come about it naturally."

Christa laughed. "My mother hasn't managed to make it to the alter at all yet." Or her father for that matter, but thinking about her father and marriage gave her chills because the idea of Sherri as a step-mother was unbearable.


	37. Chapter 37: Operation Avoidance

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer in Chapter One._

 _A.N- I hate Jess. I really do. So I have no faith that I'll be able to write him properly. I'm not super happy with this scene, but after 30 rewrites, it was the best I could come up with. I apologize in advance to all the Jess lovers, because I don't think I'm going to do him justice._

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Operation Avoidance

Christa was surprised to see that even with her late night, she'd beat her mom and Rory to Luke's the next morning. They'd agreed to meet there for a late breakfast/early lunch.

Christa grabbed an empty table, waving at Luke, who nodded in return. She noticed that the teenage boy the counter was giving her a weird look. She realized that he must be Luke's nephew, the one that had come to live with him. She'd only heard a few things about him, mostly that he had a bit of an attitude problem.

After a moment, he approached the table. "Deciding to walk on the wild side?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, obviously taking in her mid-riff baring top (and the navel ring it revealed) and tight jeans. He seemed particularly puzzled by her long braid.

Christa realized that he thought she was Rory. Which was odd. But then she didn't live in Stars Hollow and if Jess and Rory weren't good friends, and all indicators was that they weren't, maybe he didn't know she had a twin. This was only Christa's second trip to Stars Hollow since Jess' arrival and the last one had been brief and she'd never left her mother's house.

"You must be Jess." Christa said instead of answering his question.

Before he could voice his obvious confusion, the door opened and Lorelai and Rory walked in. Christa smirked as she saw Jess look from Rory to her.

"We're twins," she answered his unspoken question, "but I don't live in Stars Hollow. I live in Boston with our dad."

He nodded and then backed away without another word.

"He's friendly." Christa commented to her sister once they were all seated.

"He's not too bad," Rory defended, "I think he was probably just caught off-guard."

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "He's a walking bad attitude," she told Christa, "and for him that was downright polite."

Christa thought the reaction was slightly odd because her mother normally gave people the benefit of the doubt, unless they came from high society, but she didn't push.

"Dad didn't want to come?" Rory asked after a moment.

"He's already on his way back to Boston," Christa told her, "He left early this morning."

"When do you go back?" Lorelai asked her.

"After lunch." Christa told her. "I have some schoolwork I need to get done before tomorrow."

While she wasn't the student Rory was, she knew she was expected to get good grades and that meant occasionally doing her homework. She had an assignment for History that she really needed to work on.

Lorelai looked slightly disappointed. "I was hoping we could keep you for longer."

"I can come down next weekend if you want," Christa volunteered. She had decided that one way to deal with Sherri was to stay away from Boston as much as possible. "I'll pop in and see Straub and Francine on Friday Night and then spend the rest of the weekend with you guys." Friday Night dinners with the Gilmores weren't really her cup of tea and she would feel bad coming to Connecticut and not seeing the Haydens at all.

"That sounds great!" Rory said quickly.

Lorelai gave her a look that told her that her mother understood her motives. "That would be great, you're always welcome. I do have a wedding at the Inn next weekend though, so I'll be busy most of Saturday."

"I can lend a hand if you want," Christa volunteered. She enjoyed helping with events at the Inn. Her mom paid her and Rory for helping out, not that Christa needed the money, but she actually enjoyed the experience.

"That would be great," Lorelai told her, "an extra set of hands is always helpful."

"And then we can have a movie night," Rory told her. "We haven't had one in a while."

"Sounds like a plan." Christa agreed with a smile. She had spent the summer in Connecticut, but she'd been so busy with Colin and Logan and the others, that she hadn't spent as much time with her mom and Rory as she would have liked, so a weekend of Mommy-daughter fun seemed just what the doctor ordered.

* * *

"You're back earlier than I expected." Christopher commented when Christa walked through the door. He'd expected her to spend the whole afternoon in Stars Hollow. However, it was a nice surprise to have her home early.

"I have some homework." Christa told him. "And it's been an exhausting weekend. I figure a light afternoon was probably in order."

"Are you up for going out for dinner?" He asked her. "Sherri wants to take us to this Italian place that she thinks you'll love, since she missed out on your debut."

Christa shrugged. "Sure."

Christopher was surprised, he'd expected more of a fight. But he wasn't going to question it. Sherri had been a little irritated to no be invited to the coming out, but he hadn't thought it was the right time for her to meet Lorelai and Rory, plus it was Christa's day and he knew she didn't really want Sherri there. He was hoping that if he backed off a bit that Christa might warm up to Sherri, though he was having a hard time convincing Sherri to go along with that.

"Mom was disappointed that I had to leave so early," Christa told him as she headed to her room, "so I told her I'd be down this weekend. I'll go down Friday after school, have dinner with Grandmother and Grandfather and then spend the rest of the weekend in Stars Hollow and come back Sunday, so don't plan anything."

"Ok." Christopher agreed, mostly because he knew he couldn't say anything else. Part of the agreement with Lorelai was that Christa could visit whenever she wanted. Besides, there was nothing wrong with her wanting to go hang out with her mom and Rory for the weekend. Yet, it bothered him. Because he feared it was a precedent. Christa had been in Boston for just over a month and she'd managed to go somewhere all but one weekend. He was sure that Sherri was the reason, though he doubted Christa wouldn't admit it.

He told himself that it was a good thing that she was close enough to visit her mother and Rory and her grandparents whenever she wanted and he wanted her to have friends, but at the same time he felt like their previous closeness was evaporating.

Weekends had always been their time. Christa would go out with her friends, but they'd also hang out together. Of course, with Sherri, it was more difficult, because she wanted to be included. She hadn't liked his suggestion of backing off a bit.

"Christopher, I'm in your life and that means I'm a part of Christa's life," she told him, "and she needs to accept that and we need to bond."

He was torn because he had serious feelings for Sherri and he could honestly see a future with her and obviously Christa had to be a part of that future, so maybe Sherri was right and it was important for them to get to know each other. However, at the same time he worried that pushing his headstrong daughter to accept something she wasn't ready for was a recipe for disaster.

He shook his head, he was being silly. He and Christa had always had a great relationship, they just needed time to adjust to the changes and once Christa got used to Sherri and accepted that she was a permanent addition to their lives, everything would be fine.


	38. Chapter 38: Social Dynamics

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Rating in Chapter One._

 _A.N- Sorry for the delay in updating. My pregnancy got complicated and then my daughter was born 6.5 weeks early and spent almost a month in the hospital and then it was life with a newborn. I also took the time to go back and edit every chapter of Sugar and Spice (all three stories), fixing spelling and grammar issues and changing a few continuity issues. If you were planning on a re-read now would be a good time, because I made quite a few changes in the early chapters of More Things Change._

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Social Dynamics

"Am I a loner?"

"Maybe a little, but you're not a weirdo." Christa told her sister, wondering if that was what her sister meant. "Why?"

"I got called into the guidance councillor's office yesterday," Rory complained, "apparently I spent too much time by myself and they're concerned."

Christa laughed. "Well, you don't really socialize at Chilton. But I don't think you're a loner."

"Thank you." Rory said feverently. "But apparently if I want to go to Harvard I have to socialize. At least it's not just me—Headmaster Charleston told Mom that she was anti-social as well and setting a bad influence."

Christa tried to imagine the look on Lorelai's face at that news. "Did she tell him that she's not really a joiner?"

"She did, but he made her feel guilty," Rory confided, "So she's looking for a group to join. Grandma made her feel bad at dinner too—I guess the Headmaster's wife told her."

Christa had skipped Friday Night dinner to see Francine and Straub and had then headed to Stars Hollow after that.

"Speaking of Grandma, did you find out what was going on with her and Grandpa?" Christa asked.

Rory shook her head. "No and they seemed fine tonight. Mostly they were giving Mom a hard time, which is something they both always agree on."

"So you have to socialize." Christa commented. "I can suggest a few people. I didn't stay in touch with anyone, but there were some who were less obnoxious than others."

Christa hadn't really made any friends at Chilton something that she put down partially to the fact that she had Rory and there was the awkwardness of the existing dynamic, plus she'd quickly made friends with Logan and the others and hadn't needed close school friends.

She might have hung out with Louise and Madeline more if it wasn't for Paris, because while neither of them were particularly intelligent, they were fun and they were the type of girls she usually hung out with. However, they were Paris' loyal minions most of the time and Christa knew she and Paris would never mix well.

Rory shrugged. "I'm not sure if I'd really hit it off with anyone…"

"That I socialized with?" Christa finished with a laugh. "There is that. We do tend to run in different crowds."

Rory blushed. "I didn't mean it as an insult."

"It's ok," Christa assured her sister, "We're different people."

"Speaking of your friends from Chilton," Rory said quietly, "have you spoken to Tristan lately?"

"No." Christa told her. "Not since the summer."

She had expected it. Tristan hadn't wanted casual and she couldn't offer anything else and they weren't really friends material. She liked him, but it was mostly wild attraction, not genuine friendship. She had considered checking in, but she wasn't sure if he was appreciate it and things had gotten crazy fast with her mom's non-wedding and the move to Boston and she'd basically put Tristan out of her mind.

"I haven't seen a lot of him since school started," Rory said quietly, "I think he's avoiding me a little, but… I've heard some things. Nothing good."

"What do you mean?" Christa asked, concerned.

"Just about who's he hanging out with," Rory told her, "and he's been missing class a lot. There's just a lot of talk at school."

There had to be if _Rory_ was picking up on it. Christa was concerned, but at the same time she didn't know what she could do about it. She doubted Tristan wanted to hear from her and it wasn't like she could be much help from Boston and the situation hadn't changed. She still didn't have anything to offer him.

* * *

"So you're a bad, anti-social mother, huh?" Christa teased Lorelai over breakfast. Rory was in the shower, getting ready, since the twins would be helping Lorelai at the inn that day.

Lorelai rolled her eyes, so Rory had been telling tales. "Apparently. Does your father ever get calls like that?" She wondered if only mothers were expected to participate.

"Well, I change schools every year or so," Christa pointed out, "so it's never really been an issue."

Lorelai hadn't thought of that aspect.

"Plus he generally goes to a couple boring fundraiser dinners a year," Christa said with a shrug. "My last school, before Chilton, did a golf tournament and he participated in that. I think my current one does too and I'm sure he'll participate."

Lorelai processed that. She'd never considered Christopher as much of a joiner. They had always bonded over their distain for high-society. "Your father golfs?"

"Not particularly well," Christa said with a laugh, "but he can fake it. I think it's the only quality time he and Straub ever spend together without yelling."

Ok, that Lorelai could picture.

"How is the new school going?" Lorelai asked after a moment.

Christa shrugged. "It's fine. I've made a few friends. I joined the social committee. It's pretty much like every other school I've been at."

Lorelai hated that Christa was so blasé about switching schools and starting over, but kind of amazed by the realization that her wild child seemed to fit in better than Rory. Rory was struggling with socializing, etc, and then there was Christa, who managed to fit in wherever she went.

"What about home? How are things there?"

"It's ok," Christa told her, "I mean, Dad and I get along fine. The curfew sucks, but it's not the end of the world. And there haven't been that many new rules. It's just… We don't talk the way we used to. I feel like everything I tell him is going to get back to Sherri and that bugs me."

"Oh, honey," Lorelai said softly. "Your dad loves you and I'm sure he'd never betray your trust if you told him you wanted to keep stuff between the two of you."

Christa sighed. "Yeah, but he gets weird, because he points out that Sherri is a part of our lives and I need to get used to her and then he adds that she really likes me and blah blah blah. It's just easier to keep stuff to myself than to deal with the lecture."

Lorelai resisted the urge to sigh. Christopher was definitely handling this wrong. Not that she was any better. She had handled her entire relationship with Max badly. Maybe because it hadn't been right, but also because she was wary of sharing her life, and Rory, with anyone. And it appeared Christopher was going the opposite direction and trying to force a relationship between Christa and his new girlfriend. Still, Lorelai knew from their last conversation that Christopher wouldn't be receptive to any suggestions, so for now she would keep quiet and just hope the situation didn't get any worse.

* * *

"I accidently joined a sorority. Or set myself up to pledge one." Rory told her sister over the phone a few days later and could hear Christa trying to supress her laughter.

"Uh, what?"

"Well, I followed the guidance counsellor's advice and picked a random table to sit at," she explained, "and apparently the girls there were part of some secret group. The Puffs."

"Ugh. Francie and her crew." Christa commented. "So somehow they thought you were trying to join them?"

Rory wasn't surprised that Christa had heard of the Puffs. "I think they were intrigued by the idea that I had no idea who they were," she explained, "though apparently you did."

Not that Rory was surprised, Francie had alluded as much.

"I'm a lot more observant that you are," her twin said dryly, "at least when it comes to social dynamics."

"But you didn't join?"

"Not my scene." Christa told her. "If I'm ever going to join a secret society I want it to be something fun, not a snooty girls group who cares more about reputation than anything else."

Again, that was fairly typical. It also implied that joining the Puffs **had** been an option for Christa, which Rory could see, however she couldn't really see her sister and Francie getting along.

"So are you going to be a Puff?" Christa teased after a moment.

"No." Rory commented and explained the whole ordeal involving herself and Paris. "But the good news is that Headmaster Charleston has decided that I don't have to join anything."

"Victory!" Christa said with a laugh, then her tone turned serious. "Watch your back though. Francie is the type who holds a grudge."

"Yeah," Rory said, though since she had limited social interaction at Chilton and was just there to get a good education and get into Harvard, she wasn't really worried.


	39. Chapter 39: Manuervers and Manipulations

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Maneuvers and Manipulations

Christa lay on her bed, trying to do her math homework, but she distracted by the argument going on in the living room. She could hear her dad and Sherri talking loudly, which was interesting. Trouble in paradise?

"I can't see why I can't go with you." Sherri was saying. "I need to meet your parents sometime."

"Christa's birthday isn't the right time," Christopher said warily. As if they'd had this fight before. Which was interesting, because Christopher hadn't mentioned anything to Christa, just made it clear that both he **and** Sherri would be taking her out for dinner the next night to celebrate her 17th birthday.

"Why not?" Sherri argued. "You say I'm part of your life, part of Christa's life, but you keep excluding me!"

Christa was curious too. Her father certainly pushed her to accept Sherri, but then he held back from including her in anything that didn't involve the three of them and their insular little life in Boston. Christa suspected that her mother was the reason for that.

If Sherri came to Connecticut, it would be natural for her to want to meet Rory and that would mean meeting Lorelai and obvious Christopher wasn't ready for that. Which was interesting.

Christa grabbed her headphones to block out the fight, deciding that she didn't really need to listen to it. Though, she was strongly considering the possibilities.

What if she took Sherri's side for once? Encouraged her dad to bring Sherri to Connecticut? It would placate Sherri, make it appear like she was making an effort, possibly shake her father up a bit and maybe she could get something out of it too.

She was spending the weekend in Connecticut, celebrating with the Gilmores and then the Haydens. None of her friends were going to be around, which was fine since she was pretty busy with her family, but Logan had suggested she try to come to New Haven the next weekend. Which she desperately wanted to do. Christopher had said he'd consider it and maybe if she was willing to play nice with Sherri, it would tip from maybe to yes.

All in all, it was an idea that had promise.

* * *

"I'm ok if Sherri comes with us this weekend." Christa said causally over breakfast.

Christopher looked up from his coffee. "You are?"

Christa shrugged. "It's not a bad idea. I'll be at the Gilmore's Friday night for dinner, so you and Sherri can have dinner with Grandmother and Grandfather on your own and then we can all celebrate Saturday night. I'm sure you guys can figure out something to do while I'm with Mom and Rory Saturday afternoon."

"What's with the sudden change of heart?" He asked suspiciously, deflecting the subject. Sherri had left angry the night before, nothing resolved.

Christa shrugged. "I heard you guys fighting last night," she admitted, "And I just, I don't want to be the reason you guys are having problems."

"It's not you, sweetheart," Christopher assured her, though honestly Christa's attitude hadn't exactly helped matters, "it's a tricky situation."

"Because of Mom and Rory," Christa guessed, "however, Sherri doesn't have to meet them, right? She can just meet Grandmother and Grandfather?"

Which was a can of worms all on its own. His parents didn't particularly want him to end up with Lorelai, but he wasn't sure how receptive they would be to this new relationship and the idea of involving them in his personal life always made him uncomfortable. He liked to keep his parents at a distance.

"I guess I feel like I'm asking you to trust me and see my side, but I'm not willing to see yours," Christa continued, "I mean, if Sherri is important to you, I guess I should be more accepting."

"What do you want?" Christopher asked with a grin. "Is this about Yale?"

"Well, you did say you'd be ok with me going if the boys could arrange for me to stay in a female dorm." Christa pointed out. "And since this weekend is family time, I thought next weekend I could celebrate my birthday with my friends."

"And you don't want to celebrate with your friends in Boston?" Christopher asked, though he knew the answer.

"Not really," Christa told him, "I mean, I like them, but I'm not as close to them as I am to Colin and Logan. And Yale would be **so** much fun."

Christopher looked at his daughter. Seventeen today and suddenly so grown up. The growing up scared him. He knew this was the time when everything could go wrong, like it had for him and for Lorelai and he didn't want to screw anything up. Yet, he didn't want to treat her like a child either, not when she wasn't. Not anymore.

"I'll think about it." He said finally. "Though not as barter for Sherri coming with us. It doesn't work that way."

"Ok." Christa told him and grabbed her backpack. "See you tonight."

"Have a good day," Christopher told her, and then smiled, "and happy birthday."  
**


	40. Chapter 40: The Weekend Begins

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Forty: The Weekend Begins

"Have fun this weekend." Christopher told Christa the next Friday.

"I will." She promised. "Thank you for letting me go."

He just nodded. He had spent the last week thinking about his decision and he still wasn't sure it was the right one. Sending his high school aged daughter off to party for the weekend with a bunch of college kids. Sherri definitely didn't think so. She'd read him the riot act for giving into Christa's "whims", but he'd also thought about Lorelai's warning about pushing Christa too far and changing the rules too fast.

He was also giving the same thought to his relationship with Sherri. To her delight, she had accompanied them to Connecticut and it had been fine. His parents had been coolly polite and Christa had actually been friendly. Though, Sherri hadn't been thrilled that he hadn't let her meet Rory. It wasn't the right time.

The fact that he wasn't ready for Rory, or Lorelai, to meet Sherri actually made him wonder why he was trying to push her so hard on Christa. It was one for thing for her to get to know his girlfriend, it was another to make her an instant part of Christa's life and give her parenting decisions. It was something he really had to think about.

"Call me when you get there," he told her after a moment, "and I want to talk to the girl you're staying with."

He'd talked to her once already, some friend of Colin and Logan's, but he wanted to confirm that Christa was indeed staying with her and get the number to call in case of an emergency. Sherri had suggested he should call regularly to check up on Christa, but that didn't sit right with him.

He and Christa had always had a good relationship and while he really believed that she needed more boundaries, it didn't mean that he no longer trusted her and he needed her to know that. So, if she told him she'd be staying with a female friend of Colin and Logan's, than he was going to take her at her word.

"Will do," Christa promised. "I'll be back Sunday evening and I will call you before I leave."

"And call tomorrow to check in." Christopher instructed. "I'll feel better if I hear from you."

"Ok." Christa promised. She was being incredibly agreeable, probably because she had gotten what she'd wanted: the chance to go see her friends. Despite his misgivings it made Christopher happy to see her so happy. He was surprised by how much Logan and Colin meant to her, usually Christa didn't make strong attachments. He wondered if that was his fault for moving her around so much and that guilt was one of the reasons he had finally agreed to let her go to Yale for the weekend.

He really wanted to be the best father he could to Christa. He'd always tried, but his methods might not have been the best. It wasn't just Sherri, but just the realization that he hadn't been the father he wanted to be. The father Christa deserved.

He'd moved her around constantly, had never really given her boundaries, and while he was constantly amazed by how great a kid she really was, he also knew the realities of the circles she ran in. He'd been the bored rich kid and look how it had turned out for him. He wanted better for his daughter, he just wasn't quite sure how to go about achieving that.

* * *

"Hey beautiful." Colin said greeting Christa when she arrived at Yale. "I see you found your way safely."

"I did." She said, looking around and taking in everything. "This is pretty amazing."  
She wasn't Rory, who was all excited about every aspect of college. Mostly she was looking forward to freedom and partying, but she had to admit Yale was pretty awe-inspiring.

"It's a step up from high school," Colin agreed, taking her bag. "We're going to go introduce you to Marissa and then you can settle in."

"That's who I'm staying with this weekend, right?" Christa asked, following into step beside him. "Though, I'm guessing I'm not actually staying with her?"

"You can if you want," Colin assured her, "But, I admit I kind of assumed you'd stay with me. You could also crash with Logan if you want. It's completely up to you. No pressure."

No pressure, no strings. Christa smiled, suddenly more relaxed. She hadn't really thought that sex would change things between her and Colin, but in the end didn't sex change everything? That's what her parents always told her. Still, she was glad that Colin seemed the same as ever.

"Well, if I won't cramp your style, I'll stay with you," she teased.

Colin just grinned. "I'll take my chances. Even if you are a cover-hog."

Christa just laughed. A moment later she and Colin paused in front of a door. He knocked on the door which was quickly answered by a tall blonde.

"Hey Colin," she greeted, "this must be Christa."

"Yes." Christa said with a smile.

"I'm Marissa," the blonde introduced, then turned to Colin, "scram. We'll catch up with you later."

He rolled his eyes. "Is this really necessary?"

"A deal's a deal," Marissa reminded him.

"Fine." Colin told her, then turned to Christa. "I'll let you two get acquainted and then see you later."

"Ok." Christa told him, though she wasn't quite sure what was going on. Colin walked down the hall, still holding her bag, she watched him for a moment and then followed the blonde girl inside the dorm. She looked around. "This is nicer than I pictured."

"Pro tip: never accept the default furniture," Marissa said with a laugh, "all the stuff the school provides is in storage. My roommates and I consulted and picked stuff we actually wanted."

Christa filed that piece of advice away for the future.

"I guess, you want to know why I made Colin go away." Marissa commented after a moment.

"I'm guessing it's so you can interrogate me," Christa drawled, "but I'm not sure why. Either you want to see if I'm good enough for Colin, which would be odd since we're not dating, or you want to make sure I'm not some naïve high school girl who has false expectations."

"You are sharp," Marissa said with a smile, "Logan and Colin assured me that you were every bit their equal, but… I mean, guys don't always know how girls think."

"I like Colin." Christa told her. "But I don't want a boyfriend. We're friends. With benefits."

"Colin's sister is my best friend," Marissa explained, "So I feel obligated to make sure he stays out of trouble as much as possible and getting involved with a high school junior seemed like a recipe for trouble."

"I can respect that." Christa told her. "But I have no intentions of making trouble." She made a face. "My dad wants you to call him, but I think that's it. I don't think he'll actually call and check up on me."

A few months ago she would have been positive about that, but things had changed since Sherri. Still, they'd had a pretty good conversation that morning and all he'd asked was that she check in. It actually made her feel bad that she was breaking the rules and his trust. Not enough to stay with Marissa though.

Marissa shrugged. "If he does, you'll just be down the hall, I'm sure I can stall him long enough to go get you."

Christa nodded and then grinned. "So you've known Colin a long time, huh. Any good stories?"

"Tons." Marissa assured her. "However, if I start telling them I'll never stop and Colin will eventually get nervous and break down my door. So, I will show you to his dorm for now and then tonight, over a drink, I'll tell you some stories."

"Sounds like a plan." Christa said with a laugh. This weekend was off to a fantastic start.


	41. Chapter 41: The College Experience

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Forty-One: The College Experience

"What do you think of Yale?" Logan asked her that night, handing Christa a drink as he sat down next to her. They were at a party being thrown by someone Logan and Colin knew, Christa had been introduced, but the name hadn't stuck. Colin had wandered off somewhere, after handing her over to Logan.

Christa would have been annoyed that, because she could take care of herself and didn't have to be constantly entertained, but she knew it made sense. After all, she was only seventeen and it was a college party and it made sense for Colin and Logan to watch out for her. She and her friends were rule breakers, they weren't stupid.

"What I've seen is pretty impressive," she told him, "but Colin didn't exactly give me a tour."

"Do you want one?" Logan teased. "We can go to the library and then check out all of Yale's famous architecture."

"I'll pass," Christa said with a laugh, "I'll save that for my senior year of high school. You know, when I actually have to decide which college to go to."

Logan grinned. "How is it a choice? We're here."

"That is a pretty convincing argument," Christa agreed, "automatic access to the cool parties." She grinned. "So how much better are college parties? Are you guys getting any studying in?"

"The bare minimum." Logan assured her with a grin. "The parties are great and there are less parental lectures. Though, my father is on my case about the newspaper."

Christa made a face. "He expects you to join?"

She knew how Logan felt about the family business, about anything associated with his father. However, she also knew that he wasn't actually about to actively disobey his father, either.

"Of course he does," Logan told her, "I'm a Huntzberger, it's my destiny. I'll show up occasionally, maybe write an article or two, and that will have to do." He shook his head. "If we're going to talk about my father, I need another drink."

Christa laughed. "Another drink is always a good idea, but I don't want to spoil a good buzz, so no more talk about parental units."

"Why are we talking about parental units?" Finn asked with a shudder as he came and joined them. "That's the fastest way to kill a good mood."

"It wasn't my intention," Christa defended, "mostly I wanted to know about the parties."

"Parties are good," the charming Australian told her, "parties are fantastic. Life should just be one giant party."

"Your life **is** one giant party, Finn," Colin said, appearing from somewhere and handing Christa a fresh drink.

"Exactly how it should be," Finn commented and then he frowned, "no drink for me?"

"Get your own drinks," Colin told him, "You're not pretty enough for me to get them for you."

"He used to think I was beautiful," Finn complained and then wandered off, probably in search of a drink.

"So are you enjoying your first college party?" Colin asked her with a grin.

"So far, so good." Christa told him. She looked around the room. "Though aren't you supposed to go to college to meet **new** people?" With a few obvious exceptions, like Finn, most of the faces were at least vaguely familiar to Christa as members of the Hartford elite.

"No, we are supposed to go to college to social with the _right_ people," Logan told her dryly, "and that's a small pool. Especially once you take the boring, self-righteous ones out of the equation."

Christa giggled. "I'll keep that in mind." She knew she was in an odd position. If she wanted to go to a non-Ivy and have a "regular" experience, her parents would support her, though her grandparents would not and while her parents would be happy with Ivy, she wasn't sure they would be ok with her sticking to elite circles, which her grandparents would encourage.

She took a big sip of her drink, thankfully she had two years before she had to deal with that, for now she would just enjoy the party.

* * *

"Do you want a tour before you have to leave?" Colin teased late Sunday morning. "So you can say you actually saw some of Yale?"

"I saw lots of Yale," Christa told him, "I saw at least 4 different colleges. Plus the pub. That's good enough for my first visit."

"True." Colin agreed. "After all, there'll be plenty of opportunity for you to see more since this is just your first visit." He looked at his watch. "Plus, skipping the tour is probably a good idea if we want to meet Logan for lunch before you leave."

Christa nodded. She'd promised her dad that she'd be home at a reasonable hour and since she wanted to be allowed to visit again, she intended to keep her word. Christopher had given her what she wanted and let her come to Yale, she wasn't going to mess that up.

"I have something for you before brunch," Colin told her with a smile. He got off the bed and grabbed a wrapped package off the dresser. "Happy birthday."

"I thought I already got a birthday present?" She pointed out. Colin and Logan and a couple of the others had jointly gifted her with a new stereo for her car.

"This is just from me," Colin told her, "go ahead and open it."

Christa opened the small box and revealed a jewellery box. She lifted the lid. "It's beautiful," she told Colin at the sight of the delicate white gold star with a simple diamond in the middle."

"It seemed appropriate," Colin told her, "You light up a room like a bright star."

Jewellery seemed like a distinctly non-casual gift, but Christa knew she and Colin were odd. They had no strings romantically, but they were very emotionally connected. He was one of her best friends and she knew it was mutual. So she decided the gift wasn't odd.

"I love it," she told him sincerely. She stood up. "Can you put it on me?"

"Of course." Colin fastened the delicate chain around her neck, dropping his hands to encircle her waist when he was done. She turned in his embrace and leaned up to kiss him.

It was a long, deep kiss and Colin finally broke it with a groan. "This is not conductive to us meeting Logan for lunch," he pointed out.

"True." Christa agreed with a grin, taking a step back. "And probably not for me being home at a decent hour."

"No," Colin agreed. "I have a command performance in Hartford in two weeks. So does Logan and a few others."

"I'll make sure to visit my grandparents," Christa promised, then she sighed. "We should put my bag in my car and then go meet Logan."

As much fun as she'd had this weekend, she knew it had to come to an end and then she would have to go back to the real world.

* * *

"Did you have fun?" Christopher asked Christa that evening when she got home. She was home by supper time, just like he'd requested.

She gave him a beaming smile. "I did. Thank you so much for letting me go, it was so great to see Logan and Colin and the others."

Christopher smiled, glad to see her so happy. This might have been the happiest he had seen her since their move to Boston. Her happiness made him feel better about the decision to let her go: it was obviously what she had needed.

"How was Yale?" He asked.

Christa shrugged. "There was a lot of buildings."

"I take it you didn't get a tour?" Christopher teased. He knew if it was Rory, she would have wanted to learn everything about the history of the school and would have treated like a learning experience, but Christa wasn't Rory. He assumed she partied all weekend and he was ok with that. He was trying to be more responsible, but he knew Christa was still a teenager, and a fairly wild one at that and she was going to do typical teenage things. As long as she stayed within certain limits and followed the house rules, he was willing to give her some freedom.

Christa shrugged. "I saw a few things, but mostly I caught up with the boys. I figure I have plenty of time to get a proper tour."

"Two years until you go to college." Christopher pointed out, caught off-guard by his own words. The last seventeen years had gone by too fast. "You probably should start thinking about it."

"I'll apply to Yale and to Princeton," Christa commented, "And that's probably it. I mean, I've always known that I'd go to one or the other, right? Either the Gilmore Legacy or the Hayden one."

Her tone was very matter-of-fact, but it made Christopher aware of the burden he and Lorelai had placed on their daughters. The twins were expected to make up for their mistakes. It made him realize he had made the right decision letting Christa go to Yale, because by encouraging those friendships maybe it would encourage her to make a choice because she wanted it not because she felt like she had to.


	42. Chapter 42: Temporary Reprieve

Sugar and Spice; Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Part One._

Chapter Forty-Two: Temporary Reprieve

"I have to go out of town tomorrow for two weeks," Christopher told her over dinner, a week and a bit after her trip to New Haven. "A business trip. Someone in my department has an emergency and I was asked to fill in."

"They have a lot of faith in you," Christa said with a smile. She was impressed with how well her dad was doing in his new job. This was a change that she approved of.  
"Do I get to stay home alone?" Christa asked after a moment, though she knew the answer.

"No." Her father told her with a smile. "But nice try. You have three options. You can stay in Boston with a friend or with Sherri, she offered."

Of course her dad had already called Sherri.

"No." Christa said flatly. "To both."

She didn't have any friends she wanted to spend two weeks with. Though Sam would be the best choice if she had to go that route since her parents were never around.

"Option two," Christopher continued, ignoring her, "you can come with me, but that's not a great choice because I'm going to a bunch of cities and I'm going to be working pretty much the whole time."

Christa made a face. Staying with Sam was suddenly looking better. But she was still holding out hope for the third option.

"Option three is that I arrange for you to make up for your missed work and you go to Connecticut while I'm gone." Christopher finished. "You can stay with my parents or I'm sure your mom and Rory would be happy to have you.

""I'll stay with grandmother and grandfather." Christa said immediately. She loved her mom and Rory, but their house was **small**. Plus, she'd have more freedom with the Haydens.

"I figured you would," Christopher said with a laugh, "you will keep up with your schoolwork and our house rules still apply."

"That's fine." Christa said, mostly because she was sure her grandparents wouldn't enforce them. Besides what else could she say, "I intend to do what I want while you are gone"? All that would do would mean that she was staying with Sherri, ick.

"Curfew still stands, no overnight trips to New Haven and you need to check in with your mother daily." Christopher told her. "Those are the ground rules. That and I expect all your school work to be handed in when you get back and to be up to your usual standard."

"Ok." Christa agreed. None of the rules were surprising. The boys were going to be in Hartford that coming weekend anyway and Christopher only said no overnights, she could still do a day trip if she wanted. Plus he might say that she had a curfew but he couldn't really enforce it if her grandparents wouldn't and she was planning on spending as much time with Lorelai as possible. As for the schoolwork, Christa wasn't Rory, but she wasn't a terrible student either. Bad grades weren't worth the lecture that would accompany them.

"Can I go call Mom and tell her?" She asked after a minute.

Christopher smiled. "Of course and when you're done, come get me so she and I can go over some details."

"Ok." Christa agreed.

* * *

"You're here!" Rory called out excitedly a few days later when Christa's car pulled up and her sister got out.

"I am." Christa agreed, giving Rory a hug. "I dropped off my stuff in Hartford and then came here."

"I don't know why you won't stay here," Rory complained. She was excited to have Christa around for two whole weeks, but she wished her sister would be in Stars Hollow with them instead of staying with the Haydens.

"I have my own room there," Christa pointed out, "I love you, Ror, but I hate sharing space."

Rory had to concede the point. Especially since her room was tiny. "But we'll see you every day?" She figured that with Christa's friends away at Yale, she had a better chance of monopolizing her sister's time.

"Pretty much." Christa assured her. "I mean, stuff might come up, but my plan is to be here as much as possible and I'll sleep over at least once."

Rory grinned. "Ok." They headed towards the house.

"I can pick you up after school some days," Christa offered.

"You just want an excuse to antagonize Paris." Rory accused. "She and I are almost civil, please don't ruin that."

Christa just smirked. "Anything fun going on at Chilton?"

"We're acting out a scene from Romeo and Juliet," Rory told her with a sigh, "the whole Shakespeare class is doing it. We're Act 5. We just got assigned today."

"Sounds like fun." Christa said when a smile. "When's the big performance?"

"A week from Sunday." Rory told her. "So you can come."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Christa assured her. "Who are you working with?"

"Paris, Madeline and Louise." Rory said with an eyeroll. "Plus one or two people from the other English class."

"Hopefully some boys." Christa said with a laugh. "Unless you're going for an edgy, alternative interpretations of the classic."

Rory laughed. "We're getting together on Saturday for practice and so Paris can consult with Mom over costumes. Tomorrow we have a group meeting."

"Does Mom know she's costume designer?" Christa asked.

"Not yet," Rory admitted, "but you know she'll be up for it. Do you want to come hang out and watch rehearsal on Saturday?" She knew Paris would hate it, but she was willing to have that fight to spend time with her sister. Rory knew Paris and that this play was going to dominate everything they did and she only had limited time with her sister, so she was going to combine the two.

"During the day?" Christa asked. "I have plans in the evening."

Of course she did. Rory figured she should be surprised, but this was Christa. Her life was a constant whirl of social activity.

"Yeah, bright and early Saturday morning." Rory told her.

Christa made a face, but then nodded. "Sure. I'm eager to see your dramatic prowess."

"And bug Paris." Rory teased.

"And bug Paris." Christa agreed. "Did you tell her I was visiting or will it be a surprise?"

"It will be a surprise," Rory assured her. She found it difficult enough to deal with Paris and had wanted to navigate the minefield of Christa's return. She'd much rather do it with Christa around since Christa was much better at dealing with Paris and got so much enjoyment out of bothering her.


	43. Chapter 43: Parts in Play

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Forty-Three: Parts in Play

The next day, Rory searched the cafeteria and found Madeline and Louise and a boy she didn't know.

"Where's Paris?"

Madeline rolled her eyes. "She'll be here in a minute. She said she had to get some things."

Rory was curious what those things were, since they were all supposed to consult about what vibe they wanted, but this was Paris, so that was probably a pipe dream. Rory turned to the boy she didn't know. "Hi, I'm Rory."

"I'm Brad." He said with a nervous smile. "From the third period class."

"He's the answer to our lack of boy problem," Louise said with an eyeroll, "isn't that swell?"

Rory gave her a look, Brad might not be heartthrob material, but he seemed very nice. "Shouldn't we get started?"

"Without Paris?" Madeline squeaked.

"Ooh…" Louise said, "that could be lethal."

"We could at least decide on what motif we want to do." Rory pointed out. Picking out a theme without Paris might mean the rest of them got a say.

At that moment, Paris approached. "We're doing traditional Elizabethan."

Or maybe not.

"Elizabethan?" She questioned. "But I thought the point of this was to…"

"The point is to get an A, not to make Romeo and Juliet into a Vegas lounge act." Paris said curtly. "Besides, we have the death scene. It's classic, it's famous." She turned and stared at Brad. "Who are you?"

"I'm, uh, Brad. From the third period Shakespeare, ma'am." He stuttered.  
Rory felt bad for him. Paris was terrifying.

Paris nodded and then turned to the group. "Okay. Now I want everyone to read the chapters on acting I photocopied out of Houseman's Memoirs tonight. Everyone will be off book by next Friday, and if you plan on missing rehearsal, you better bring a coroner's note." She turned to Brad. "We're shot on boys, so you're Romeo. Louise, you can play the Friar."

Rory stifled a giggle at Louise's offended expression. "Excuse me?"

Before Paris could respond, Tristan suddenly pulled up a chair and sat down. "Well, well, the gang's all here."

"This is a meeting." Paris said coldly.

"Yeah, sorry I'm late." He said, with what was obviously meant to be a charming smile though it didn't appear to work on Paris.

So Tristan was in their group? That was interesting. Rory wondered what Christa would think of that and decided to omit that information when she saw her sister tonight because she didn't want her sister to bail on watching rehearsal. She didn't know that Tristan's presence with a deterrent, but she didn't want to take the chance.

"What are you doing here?" Paris demanded.

"Professor Anderson forgot to include me when she made up the groups, so she told me to pick one." Tristan explained.

"Fine, you have four other acts to choose from. Take your pick." Paris said coldly.

Obviously someone had hard feelings. Rory stayed silent though because she had no stake in this either way.

"Yeah, well Summer's in act 1, Beth and Jessica are in act 2, Kate's in act 3, and uh, Claire, Kathy, and Mary are in act 4." Tristan pointed out. "So this is the only one free of ex-girlfriends." Rory noticed that he looked at her as he said that and she wondered if she should tell him that Christa would be around.

"So we're being punished for our good taste?" Paris complained before she could say anything.

"Oh, Paris, you wound me." Tristan told her. "Do you no longer have any need for me at all?"

"We have need!" Louise spoke up. "We have great need. You can be Romeo."

"Brad is Romeo." Rory pointed out, still feeling a little bad for the other boy.

Louise snorted. "Put in your other contact Grandma. Tristan is Romeo. Brad can be the second guard on the left."

Rory had to agree that Tristan had be a bit more of the Romeo aesthetic than Brad.

"No." Paris flatly.

"She's right." Madeline chimed in. "Tristan was born to be Romeo."

"Hey, I'm the director and I'll decide who's born to be what," Paris pointed out, "and I say Brad is Romeo."

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Louise drawled.

And Rory had to agree with her. Paris was being ridiculous and presumably it had to do with her own feelings towards Tristan. However, no way was she voicing that thought.

Paris turned to glare at Louse. "What did you say?"

"Just that perhaps someone is letting her personal feeling interfere with her leadership." Louise said innocently.

Rory was kind of surprised that Louise was openly challenging Paris on this, but then Louise seemed to have taken an immediate dislike of Brad, so maybe she was motivated?

"My only feeling is that I don't want to give the most important part to someone who can't even manage to stay in school." Paris said defensively.

"And I'm going to say one thing: fifty percent of our final grade." Louise pointed out. "Do you want to risk that on a subpar Romeo?"

Paris sighed and turned to Rory. "What do you think?"

"I am right here." Tristan said in a bored voice.

Paris ignored him and continued to look at Rory.

Rory shrugged and then turned to Brad. "How are you at speaking in front of people?"

"I tend to throw up." He admitted.

Everyone turned to look at Paris, who threw her hands up in the air. "Fine." She turned to glare at Tristan. "I swear, you flake on this and you'll pray you get suspended."

"Sure." Tristan said and then stood up. "I have to run."

"Rehearsal tomorrow!" Paris called after him. She then turned to the rest of them and after assigning roles, without giving them any input, she finally let them go.

"What's the story with Tristan and your sister?" Louise asked as they were gathering their stuff.

"What do you mean?" Rory asked.

"Well, last summer they were hot and heavy and then school starts and he's become the ultimate bad boy and she never mentions him in her e-mails."

"You e-mail Christa?" Rory asked in surprise.

"Sometimes." Louise said with a shrug. "She gives killer fashion advice. But anyway what happened with her and Tristan? Did she break his heart?"

"No," Rory said, though she didn't know for sure and she always suspected that Tristan was more emotionally involved than Christa. "She just went off to Boston to live with our dad and they stopped seeing each other. Nothing more than that."

"Too bad she's not still around, wouldn't that be the perfect Romeo and Juliet?" Louise drawled. "Real life, star-crossed lovers. I guess you make a good substitute."

"I guess." Rory said with an eyeroll, still wondering how she had gotten forced into the role of Juliet to Tristan's Romeo.

* * *

"How was your meeting?" Christa asked Rory as they left the Gilmore House.

Lorelai had already left because she had some errands to run and Christa had agreed to give Rory a ride home.

Christa didn't normally do Friday Night dinners, but since she was going to be around for two weeks, she thought it would be nice to go to at least one.

It had been fine. Richard and Emily had been so happy to see her that they'd kept the criticism to a minimum. It wasn't the most exciting way to spend a Friday evening, but unlike Rory, she didn't' have to do it every week, so once in a while wasn't too bad.

"It was good." Rory said, a little evasively as they got in the car. "So, change of plans for tomorrow. We're rehearsing in Stars Hollow."

"Really?" Christa asked in surprise.

"Paris doesn't want to be spied on," Rory said with an eyeroll, "and Miss Patty has a good space, so they're all coming to me." She turned to her sister. "You could spend the night, make it easier for tomorrow."

"Sure." Christa agreed. Logan and Colin and Robert were all at a political fundraiser for Robert's dad. Christa had thought about making an appearance or meeting up with the boys later, but hanging out with her sister was a good alternative. Plus the situation was a little awkward since both Colin and Robert had approached her about being their official escort, because this was that type of function. She wasn't that surprised they both asked her, because she knew Colin hated it when he had to take someone appropriate as his date to these things and Robert often asked her to accompany him to political functions, it was just the fact that they both asked that was awkward, so she'd turned them both down and decided to go to Friday Night dinner instead.

However, that meant meeting up with them after could be weird because they would both have dates and while she was okay with that, she was either going to be the odd one out or end up hooking up with someone else, which could be more complicated and really why make a situation weird when you didn't have to? Instead she'd hang out with her sister and mom tonight and meet up with the boys tomorrow in a more normal, neutral environment.

"I'm for anything that lets me get a little bit of extra sleep," she teased, "what time are they descending on Star Hollow?"

"Nine a.m." Rory told her. "Not too bad."

"Louise is still going to complain." Christa said with a laugh. 9 a.m she could do easily, especially if she was sleeping in Stars Hollow. They could go to Luke's for breakfast and everything. It would be nice.

"Yeah, she wasn't happy." Rory agreed and then she looked over at her sister. "You e-mail Louise?"

"Sometimes." Christa told her, wondering how that had come up. "She keeps me updated on Chilton gossip, stuff like that." Stuff that Rory didn't even notice. Plus, she would never admit, but it was one way of keeping an eye on Rory. Christa was a little worried about her sister's encounter with Francie, because the other girl would seek revenge eventually, and wanted to keep a tab on things at Chilton without Rory knowing and Madeline and Louise were the best way to do that. "Madeline too."

"I just didn't realize you were friends.' Rory commented.

"We're friendly," Christa corrected, "I would probably have hung out with them more except I hate Paris and the feeling is mutual, but Madeline and Louise were fine."

Rory nodded, though Christa could tell that she was still confused by the idea. In Rory's world, the only type of friendship that existed was genuine friendship, she didn't understand the purpose of cordial acquaintances or having people who can provide you with useful information and Christa envied that about her. But it also made her worry about her and the fact that she was woefully unprepared for the world she now dabbled in.

After all, Rory was really too nice for high society.


	44. Chapter 44: A Tale of Juliet and Romeo

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Forty-Four: A Tale of Juliet and Her Romeo

"What's she doing here?" Paris demanded on Saturday morning when Christa and Rory arrived at Miss Patty's, coffee in hand.

"Visiting my sister," Christa drawled, "my father is away for two weeks, so I'm in Connecticut."

"This is a _private_ rehearsal." Paris hissed.

"I have limited time with my sister," Rory told her, "so either she tags along or I don't go to all your ridiculous rehearsals."

"I won't interfere with the integrity of the performance," Christa assured her with an eyeroll.

"Christa!" Madeline shouted as she and Louise arrived.

"Rory didn't say you would be around," Louise commented, "This makes things much more interesting."

Christa was about to ask, but Paris cut her off a glare. "Yes, it's fantastic that the evil twin is back in town, but we have a play to rehearse."

It was just then that Christa realized there was a boy there she didn't recognize. She forced herself to refrain from wrinkling her nose. He didn't seem very Romeo-like.

"Am I late?" She heard a voice ask from behind her and bit back a sigh. Well, there was Romeo and that explained Louise's satisfied grin.

"Of course you are," Paris barked, "but what else is new."

Tristan ignored her, suddenly realizing Christa was in the room. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting for a couple weeks." Christa said softly. "How have you been?"

She'd heard a bit from Rory and a little Madeline, but she hadn't wanted to probe. Still, it was enough to be concerned.

"Fine." He barked and then turned to Paris. "Should we get started?"

"Yes." Paris agreed, she turned to Christa. "You can watch, but if you become a distraction, you're out of here."

"Fine." Christa said and went to take her seat in a corner. She intended to have words with Rory later for blind-siding her with Tristan. Or rather for blind-siding Tristan with her. Because that wasn't fair. One of the reasons Christa had avoided contacting Tristan was because he made it clear that wasn't what he wanted.

She couldn't give him what he wanted from her, but she could give him space.

* * *

"Are you mad at me?" Rory asked Christa later, when a furious Paris had called for a lunch break.

It had not been the most successful morning. Tristan was distracted and Madeline and Louise were being their usual selves and Brad seemed unable to string together more than a few words. Plus Dean had stopped by and hadn't been happy to learn that she was Juliet to Tristan's Romeo.

"No." Christa told her. "But Tristan might be."

Yeah, Rory had noticed that he'd seemed distracted by her sister's presence and as soon as Paris had called break, he'd taken off.

"I didn't realize that things were so tense between you two," Rory said quietly. Christa hadn't really explained what happened with Tristan.

"They're not," Christa said, "at least on my end, but I don't think I'm someone Tristan really wants to see. Which is fine." Christa made a face. "I should head out, as much as I love bothering Paris, I think I'm mostly just a distraction."

"Yeah." Rory agreed softly.

"Besides, I need to get back to Hartford anyway," Christa told her, "I have plans this afternoon."

"Oh?" Rory asked politely, though she was sure they weren't anything she'd find interesting. For the most part, she and Christa had different interests.

"I'm going shopping with a couple girls and then tonight Logan is having a party." Christa told her.

"I thought you weren't supposed to go to New Haven?" Rory reminded her sister. Christopher had called Lorelai and filled her in on the rules of Christa's two week stay, probably to make sure Christa actually followed them though Rory wondered what her mother could actually do since Christa wasn't staying with them.

"I'm not supposed to go _overnight_ ," Christa corrected, "and I'm not. They are in Hartford this weekend—the party is at Logan's parents place."

"Oh." Rory commented, wondering why she didn't think of that. Christa generally didn't go for outright disobedience, she preferred to work around the rules. "And tomorrow?"

"Not sure, I'll call you." Christa promised. "And I will pick you from school on Monday and once you guys get a groove on, I'll tag along at more rehearsals. I just want to give Tristan some time to get used to the idea."

Rory nodded. She was impressed with Christa's sensitivity, but it made her wish she had more information on what happened between Christa and Tristan, but she knew this wasn't the time to pry.


	45. Chapter 45: Obligations and the Wild Chi

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer in Chapter One._

 _A.N- This is Christa playing with fire and walking a very fine line. It has to blow up in her face spectacularly at some point and it will, but I wanted to plant the seeds of rebellion and the fact that in that way I think Colin and the others would be a bad influence._

Chapter Forty-Five: Obligations and the Wild Child

"How was the fundraiser last night?" Christa asked Juliet as they shopped.

It was her, Juliet, Stephanie and Sophia, but since Stephanie and Christa were a toxic combination, they had quickly split into pairs.

Juliet rolled her eyes. "Awful. I let Robert talk me into being his official escort, last minute no less, because the girl he originally lined up bailed on him, so I had to make nice with **everyone**. Never again."

Christa was surprised that Robert had asked Juliet instead of lining up a "real" date. She wondered if _she_ was the "date who bailed? Or was she his first choice substitute and then he asked Juliet? She decided that it didn't really matter either way.

"What did you get out of it?" She asked with a grin.

"I'm crashing with him next month when **we** go to New Haven." Juliet told her. "And he's going to find somewhere for Steph to stay, probably with Logan, and I figured you'll stay with Colin and yes, you **will** be coming with us."

"It may be hard to convince my dad since I was just there." Christa pointed out.

"Don't remind me," Juliet whined, "I'm mad at Colin and Logan for not inviting us. I guess too many high school girls visiting at once would ruin their rep."

Christa laughed. "Maybe." She sighed. "It would be fun to go with you." She'd had a lot of fun during her last visit and she'd love to go again and it would be really nice to not be the only 'high school girl'.

"Yes!" Juliet agreed. "I mean, Steph and I have the excuse of making it an official visit since we are applying to colleges, but it would be so much better if you were there."

"It would be fun." Christa agreed, picturing the trouble they could get into. "I'll work on my dad." She thought he might actually be more willing if several other high school girls were going to be there as well. She sighed. "I'm so jealous that you guys will be at college next year."

"I'm mostly looking forward to not living with either of my parents." Juliet confided. "Though, of course, now they're fighting over where I should go."

Juliet's long-divorced parents hated each other's guts and Christa had heard all the stories and it made her grateful for Lorelai and Christopher, maybe they weren't together, but at least they liked each other.

"You're mother is still insistent on Smith?" Christa asked sympathetically.

Juliet rolled her eyes. "Yes or *maybe* Wellesley. But she can't understand why I would want to go to a co-ed school. My father is pointing out that he is paying for it, so I am going to Yale and then they just yell at each other some more."

"Where do you want to go?" Christa asked her.

"I have no idea." Juliet told her. "I have no personal ambition, but why would I? I'm going to go to an appropriate school and then I an going to get married and be a society wife. We all know that is all that is expected of me. But instead of marrying a nice, society boy, I'm going to marry someone poor, so I control the purse strings and he can never leave me or dare be unfaithful."

Christa winced at the pain and determination on Juliet's face. There were downsides to money and privilege and for most of her friends those downsides were unhappy home lives.

"At least the boys are at Yale," Juliet said after a moment, "so I know people and the parties will be fun."

Christa grinned. "Always looking at the bright side."

"I try." Juliet said and then she made a face. "Thinking about this has depressed me, so now I need to spend as much of my father's money as possible. I think I need new boots, what do you think?"

"I think new boots are in order." Christa agreed and the two of them headed across the mall, talk of the future dropped for the time being.

* * *

"How is it being back at your grandparents?" Colin asked later that evening. The two of them had arranged to meet up for dinner before the party.

"Amazing." Christa confessed. "No curfew, no questions." She laughed. "And for the next two weeks, no school."

"That's the life." Colin agreed, resting his hand on top of hers. "So no curfew at all?"

"None." Christa confirmed. "I'm actually not even expected home tonight." She confided. "Francine told me that they weren't going to wait up for me and that she would see me at lunch tomorrow."

She'd been stunned by the implied permission to stay out all night, because last year there had been at least some rules, mostly that they expected her to sleep in her own bed.

"That has possibilities." Colin said with a grin.

"It does." Christa agreed. "I admit I'm amazed by how cool they are being. I guess it's because last year they were my guardians, now they just get to be indulgent grandparents." And indulgent was the key word. She'd forgotten how much Francine and Straub let her get away with. Living with Christopher again made her realize how good she'd had it last year.

"I like the sound of no rules," Colin told her, giving her a sexy smile. "Since your grandparents aren't expecting you back, want to blow off the party?"

"And go where?" Christa asked curiously.

Colin shrugged. "Wherever. We could go to New York for the night or there's this great B&B in New Hampshire, we can be there in less than 2 hours… Wherever you want to go."

"I can't just take off out of state." Christa commented, though it was tempting. Really tempting.

"Why not?" Colin asked her. "No one would ever have to know. You have to be home for lunch, right? That gives us plenty of time. Logan and the others would cover for us, if your grandparents asked any questions and do you think they would?"

"No." Christa admitted, she was pretty sure that Straub and Francine were going to turn a blind eye to anything she did as long as she didn't come home pregnant.

She paused, thinking about it. She was seventeen and she knew that she shouldn't just take off wherever with a boy. That her parents would both freak out about it if they found out. But… It was so tempting to be wild and reckless. Especially since she'd been dealing with all these rules since the summer and it was driving her crazy. Plus Colin was right, no one ever had to know. And technically, she'd already done it once—she'd gone to Martha's Vineyard without her parents knowing that she'd ever left Connecticut and she hadn't gotten caught.

"Ok." She said after a moment. "Let's go."

Colin grinned. "That's my girl, always up for an adventure."

The admiration in his voice assured her that she was doing the right thing. She was being the wild and crazy girl that he liked, that all her friends liked. Not the girl her father was trying to make her be with all his new rules.

* * *

"Did you have fun last night?" Francine asked over lunch.

Christa had managed to get home by 11, then rushed upstairs to get dressed and be presentable for lunch. She was still amazed she had pulled it off, but her grandparents were smiling indulgently at her, waiting for an answer, and didn't seem at all suspicious.

"Yes," she said simply.

And she had. They had ended up in New Hampshire at the B&B Colin had mentioned and apparently she hadn't given off an "underage" vibe because there had been no questions. Of course, it could have been amount of money that Colin spent.

Francine smiled. "I'm glad, you deserve to have fun, doesn't she Straub?"

"Of course she does," her grandfather commented, "she's a beautiful, smart young woman. She should enjoy life."

Christa blinked. That didn't sound like Straub. He was usually more dour than that.

"Do you have any plans this evening?" Francine asked after a moment. "Or have your friends gone back to Yale?"

"They've gone back to Yale," Christa told her. She and Colin had had a rushed goodbye that morning. She'd felt bad about missing out on Logan this visit, but she planned to make up for it. "I was hoping to drive up one day this week or next, though. Just for the day."

Her father had said no overnight trips, but he hadn't said anything about a day trip, so Christa was going to assume that was allowed.

"That sounds nice," Francine told her, "I'm sure your friends will enjoy seeing you and it's good for you to get a good look at Yale. Just in case."

"Speaking of that, I thought we would take a road trip to Princeton this week," Straub told her, "maybe meet up with a few old friends. Just so you can see the campus."

Ah, yes, Princeton. Where the Hayden men had gone for generations, until her father. Where some part of her felt obligated to go, despite her friends being at Yale, because she felt like she should pay the Haydens back for all they had done for her.

"I'd like that," she said quietly, because it was the right answer. Besides, it was only a visit. She didn't have to choose yet.

"Excellent," Straub told her, "I'll pick a day this week and we'll make a proper trip of it. You'll love the campus."

"I'm sure I will." Christa said, while silently wondering if that mattered at all. It would be Yale or it would be Princeton. The question was how much did she owe her grandparents? The ones who had been so kind to her and even now were giving her so much more freedom than her own parents would?


	46. Chapter 46: Expectations and Old Demons

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Forty-Six: Expectations and Old Demons

"Are you having a good visit?" Christopher asked a couple days later, when he called to check in.

"I am." Christa said sincerely. "I've been staying busy and I've been doing my homework."

"Good." Christopher told her. "My parents haven't been driving you crazy?"

"No, they've been fine." Christa said and then paused. She'd been unsure if she should say anything, but she figured it might come up. "Grandfather and I are going to Princeton tomorrow."

There was a long moment of silence.

"Do you want me to get you out of it?" Christopher offered. "I can talk to my father. I mean, he never listens to me, but…"

"It's ok." Christa assured him. "It means a lot to him and I might as well at least check it out."

"You are **not** obligated to go there." Christopher assured her. "You can go wherever you want."

"I know." Christa said softly and she knew he did mean that. If she decided against an Ivy League school, he would support her, so would her mom. But she also knew that wouldn't happen. That wasn't her style. She broke the rules and partied and played the wild child, but at the end of the day she knew what was expected of her and she didn't have what it took to go against that. She wasn't her mother.

"I hated the Princeton visit." Christopher confided. "He dragged me right before your mom found out she was pregnant, when I was still expected to tow the line and it was awful. Not the school, but my father and his countless expectations and the feeling that I would never be able to live up to them. I don't want you to feel that."

"I don't." Christa said honestly. "I mean… Not the way you did. Grandfather is excited about taking me and yeah, there's pressure, but… It's not the way it was with you."

"No." Christopher said quietly. "It wouldn't be."

Christa wondered what her father really thought of her relationship with her grandparents. Because Straub and Francine were much better grandparents than they were parents.

"How's California?" Christa asked after a moment.

"Warm." Christopher told her. "Do you wish you had come with me after all?"

"No." Christa told him. "Though warm is nice. But I bet you are super busy."

"I am." Christopher agreed, "I actually have a meeting in 5 minutes, so I need to run. I just wanted to check in and see how you are doing. I miss you, kid."

"I miss you too." Christa told him honestly. "And I can't wait to see when you get home."

Even as she said it, she knew it was only partially the truth. She missed her dad and she was looking forward to seeing him, but she didn't miss Boston and she'd be kind of sad when her two weeks break from her new life ended.

* * *

"My dad's taking Christa to Princeton tomorrow."

"I know," Lorelai said quietly. "She told me."

She was surprised that Christopher had called her. They didn't talk very often, because Christa was old enough to do her own communicating, only if there was something going on with Christa that Christopher thought she should know about. Lorelai thought she might call him if something happened with Rory, out of obligation, but there wasn't the same level of communication there.

"No." Christopher said quietly. "Which is ridiculous because she's seventeen and it's time for her to at least start thinking about college. And she's ok with it, so I should be."

"I wouldn't be thrilled if my father wanted to take Rory to Yale." Lorelai admitted.

Though part of that was because Rory didn't want to go to Yale, she wanted to go Harvard and Lorelai refused to let her parents pressure Rory into giving up her dream.

"I don't want Christa to have to make up for my mistakes." Christopher sighed. "I want her to be able to make her own choices. But I think my parents have done a good job on her."

"What do you mean?" Lorelai asked quietly, though she had similar fears when it came to Christa.

"She's just so good at the society life." Christopher sighed. "She's exactly what they want her to be. She goes to the right schools, hangs out with the right people and will go to an Ivy League college. They don't care if she stays out late or drinks, as long as she doesn't create a scandal. She's what they wanted me to be."

"She's her own person, Chris," Lorelai said softly, even though she understood where he was coming from. She thought back to the awful 'celebration' dinner at her parents and how her father had praised Christa and all her choices, because it was true, Christa was what they had wanted her to be. More so than Rory.

Rory was a great kid, a great student and everyone was proud of her, but Lorelai had managed to stop her from being the society brat and she would do everything in her power to make sure Rory didn't choose that life. She wasn't sure there was anything she could do to stop Christa.

"I know." Christopher said after a moment. "And she's a good kid, I just… I really hate my parents forcing this on her. And I hate that she doesn't see it as pressure." He paused for a moment. "And I hate that I'm a little jealous of the relationship she has with my dad."

"I get that." Lorelai told him sincerely. "Rory and my parents get along so well and I look at them and go, why couldn't it be like that for us? And then I remember that I'm not Rory and being a grandparent isn't the same as being a parent. And I try to tell myself I'm glad Rory is close to her grandparents."

"It's not easy though, is it?" Christopher asked. "And with my parents there's also that added complications from their relationship with Rory."

Oh, yes. The Haydens and their way of treating one child like the golden child and pretending the other didn't even exist.

"Your parents are complicated people," was all she said.

"Yeah," Christopher agreed with a slight laugh, then he sighed. "I need to get back to work, I just… I needed to get it off my chest. Thanks for listening, Lor."

"Any time." She told him, though she wondered why he had called her and not his girlfriend. Maybe because of their shared history or because she was Christa's mother, either way it didn't matter. She and Christopher were friends and they went way back and she was happy to be there for him when he needed her.


	47. Chapter 47: The Chilton Crowd

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Forty-Seven: The Chilton Crowd

"How was Princeton?" Rory asked.

It was the first time she'd seen Christa in a couple days, thanks to the road trip and all the play rehearsals. She was a little annoyed, because she wanted more twin time.

Christa shrugged. "Not as fun as Yale. But it was ok."

"I'm guessing this trip was a little different than your visits to Yale." Rory said dryly.

"Yeah." Christa agreed. "Grandfather gave me a tour and I met a few of his old friends and we had lunch with one of them. Princeton's nice." She reached for her bag. "I bought you a sweatshirt. I got myself one too."

Rory took it with a smile. "Thanks. It goes with the Yale one you got me." And the Harvard one she'd bought during her and Lorelai's road trip.

"Well, it helps you keep your options open," Christa teased. "How are play rehearsals going?"

Rory sighed. "Paris is Paris. Madeline has one line and still can't memorize it and Tristan and Louise both treat it like a big joke."

"They would." Christa said dryly. "How is Tristan doing?"

Rory shrugged. "Same old. At least he's been at school every day this week. But he spends all his free time with Duncan and Bowman and he cuts out of rehearsal as soon as he can. He's driving Paris crazy."

"Just two more days." Christa pointed out. "And then next week I am all yours. Well, I'm going to New Haven for the day, but the rest of the week, I'll be yours."

"I'm going to hold you to that." Rory told her. "Do you want to take along and watch rehearsal tomorrow? At this point, I'm not sure you'd be as much of a distraction."

Christa hesitated, but finally nodded. "Sure. I haven't spent enough time this week bothering Paris."

"What have you been doing this week?" Rory asked curiously, "besides going to Princeton."

"Homework mostly." Christa told her. "I know you'll be less busy next week, so I tried to get ahead of my work this week."

Rory smiled, glad that her sister prioritized their time together as much as she did. "Look at you, the diligent student," she teased.

"Keep that to yourself," Christa told her, "it would destroy my reputation."

"My lips are sealed." Rory promised, though she secretly wondered why her sister always down-played her academic side. For all her wild-child behavior, Christa was a pretty dedicated student and Rory had no idea why she didn't want that to be the way people saw her, instead of just as Christa the party girl.

* * *

"What, no parties going on?" Paris asked when Christa showed up at rehearsal.

"I don't know what circles you travel in, but even I have a hard time finding parties at nine a.m." Christa said dryly. Unless they were just ending, but that was a whole different story.

"I'm having a party tonight." Madeline spoke up. "Not a big one. But a party. You should come."

"Sounds like fun." Christa said with a shrug, earning a smile from Madeline.

Paris rolled her eyes. "No one is going to any parties if we can't get this scene right." She looked at Christa. "If you have to be here, then you can be our critic. I want you to give us your honest feedback."

"Sure." Christa told her, before going to sit down. She'd noticed that Tristan hadn't said a word, he'd just looked at her for her a moment and then gone back to acting bored. She had no idea what was going on with him and what to do about it. If anything.

He might be acting too cool for life these days, but he did make a good Romeo and Rory was a very sweet, very earnest Juliet. Brad and Madeline were the weak links, but they were managing to pull it together.

"Very classic," she said when they were done, "just a tip, Brad seems to work better when you don't look at him, Paris."

The other boy blushed deeply and Louise laughed.

Paris frowned. "I can work with that. Let's do another run through, this time Brad turn so that you can't see me."

Christa could hear Rory's audible sigh and she felt a little bad, but she really had been thinking of Brad who looked like he might explode thanks to Paris' direction.

* * *

"So you're going to Madeline's tonight?" Rory asked after rehearsal.

Christa shrugged. "Yeah, why not? I've enjoyed her parties in the past."

Rory wanted to point out that mostly Christa had just made out with Tristan at those parties, but she doubted that it would go over well.

"You have a date with Dean, don't you?" Christa asked.

"I do." Rory agreed. She'd felt bad about it, but he'd been weird about her working with Tristan and it was Saturday and she figured Christa would have plans. And she had been right—Christa was always able to find a way to fill a Saturday night.

"My other option was going over to my friend Juliet's, but then I have to deal with Stephanie." Christa said, rolling her eyes.

"Who's Stephanie?" Rory asked curiously. She'd heard Christa mention Juliet before, the only girl she ever seemed to mention except for a few of her Boston friends, but not Stephanie.

"She hangs out with Colin and Logan." Christa explained. "She's not my favorite person and the feeling is mutual. I think she and Colin had a thing."

"And that bothers you?" Rory asked curiously, because it would be the normal reaction, but out of character for her sister.

"No." Christa said flatly. "But my presence bothers her and she's a bitch about it, so she's not my favorite person. But she and Juliet are close and Juliet and I are close, so sometimes I have to put up with her."

Rory wondered if it was weird that she knew so little about her sister's life, that she only picked up on bits and pieces as they happened to come up in conversation. She and Christa were twins, shouldn't they know more about each other?


	48. Chapter 48: Star-Crossed Lovers

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One._

Chapter Forty-Eight: Star-Crossed Lovers

"No Paris?" Christa asked later that evening when she arrived at Madeline's.

"No, her parents are out of town." Louise said with a laugh. "So she's at home going over her notes for tomorrow. No Rory?"

"She has a date."

"With the delicious farm boy, I bet." Louise purred.

"That would be him." Christa said with a smirk. "Who is your date tonight?"

Louise made a face. "Mike Hodges." She sighed. "I really need access to a new dating pool. How are the boys in Boston?"

Christa shrugged. "High school boys." She couldn't resist a slight brag. "College boys are where it's at."

Louise raised an eyebrow. "Do tell."

"My friends Colin and Logan go to Yale and I go visit them sometimes," Christa explained.

" _The_ Colin?" Louise questioned.

"I guess." Christa said, knowing she was referring to her first falling out with Tristan. Louise might not be a great student, but she had an excellent ear for gossip, which was why Christa was always careful in what she said to her.

"I need to meet some college boys," Louise sighed. She looked around. "But for now there's Mike and he'll do."

"Catch you later." Christa said before the blonde wandered off.

Christa sipped her drink and danced with a couple people, but she couldn't help wonder if hanging out with Juliet and putting up with Stephanie wouldn't have been the better option. She felt no connection with anyone at Chilton, so it was actually pretty awkward. She almost wished Paris was there. Almost.

Just as she was considering leaving, her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Christa?"

"Tristan?" She asked, surprised to hear from him. She'd kind-of wondered if he'd be at the party, though she knew his new cronies would not be invited, so she doubted it. He sounded upset.

"Can you come over?" He asked her. "I need to talk to someone."

Christa wondered why he chose her, but she decided it didn't matter. "Sure. I can be there in 10 minutes." She had only one drink, and she hadn't even finished it, so she was comfortable driving, and Francine and Straub weren't expecting her home at any specific time.

"Come to the pool house," Tristan said quickly, "not the main house."

Ok, that was curious. She wondered what kind of trouble Tristan was in and what it had to do with her.

* * *

"What's going on?" She asked, when she arrived at the DuGrey's pool house.

Tristan was there by himself with a bottle of rum, looking like the world was about to end.

"I did something stupid." He told her.

"From what Rory tells me, you've been doing something stupid for months." She said dryly.

"Since when do you judge people for being stupid?" He asked her.

Christa shrugged, acknowledging his point. "I'm guessing this isn't the normal type of stupid?" She asked. "Since you asked me to meet you here and there's no one else around and it's almost midnight."

"We broke into Bowman's dad's safe tonight." Tristan confided. "It was supposed to be a prank, but we got caught. The police are letting our parents handle it and I think my parents are still yelling at each other. I was banished out here until they came up with something and under express orders not to leave. I'm pretty sure I'm stuck out here all night."

Ok, that was pretty damn serious and stupid.

"But having a girl over is ok?" Christa asked lightly, not sure what else to say.  
"Probably not," he admitted, "but I don't think I can get in more trouble and I needed to see you Christa."

She didn't ask why her, after all they hadn't spoken in months, because it didn't matter. What mattered was that he did need her and she cared about him. Just maybe not enough.

"I'm here." Christa said softly, putting her hand on top of his.

"Things were good when you were here," he said quietly, "and then you left and we stopped talking and I missed you, but that's not very manly, especially when the girl in question has made it abundantly clear she doesn't want to be your girlfriend. Plus there was stuff with my dad and being with Duncan and Bowman made me forget all that stuff."

"Don't put this on me," Christa told him, "I'm seventeen. I mean, our relationship wasn't…"

"I know," Tristan told her, "and I get it. But it sucks caring more for the girl than she cares for you."

That hurt. Because she did care about Tristan. A lot. Just not enough to be his girlfriend. She cared about him more than she had almost any other guy she'd ever been involved with. Only Colin was different, but with Colin there was a friendship as well and she and Tristan had never had that. Just crazy attraction and sincere affection.

"I need you, Christa, I mean… I know I could get you in trouble and that you don't need me dragging you down, but…" He cupped her face with his hands. "I don't know what's going to happen… Whatever it is, I think I'm done at Chilton, and I just… I needed to see you tonight."

He kissed her then, a deep lingering kiss and Christa found herself getting lost in the kiss. A moment later, Tristan was pushing her back onto the couch and she was letting him. For a few moments there was no talking as the kisses grew deeper and before she knew it, Tristan was pulling away to ease her top over her head with one hand, while his other hand found the clasp of her bra.

She considered pushing him away, knowing she could stop him at any time. But she looked into his eyes and saw the pain and the desperation there and she felt like she could help him, if only for a moment. She wasn't a great listener, she wasn't super compassionate, but she could help Tristan forget his problems for a little while. Some people might disapprove, but it wasn't like she didn't already care for Tristan, they'd fooled around in the past and if she'd stayed in Hartford, this would have been a natural progression of their relationship.

"It's just you and me," she whispered instead, helping him take off his own shirt. "We'll just pretend the rest of the world doesn't exist for a while."

She saw the surprise and gratitude flash in Tristan's eyes before he grabbed her in another deep, passionate kiss.

"You don't want to stop," he asked after a moment.

"No." Christa told him. "I don't want to stop."

She could see the questions in his eyes and she didn't want to answer them, because she knew they might hurt him and she was glad when he decided against asking them. Instead he kissed her again and after that, there was no need for words…


	49. Chapter 49: A Difference of Opinion

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer in Chapter One._

 _A.N- I always struggle a bit to figure out how Lorelai would parent Christa. Lorelai has always been pretty open and out-spoken about sex, but she's still a mom. However, I figure she wouldn't be too judgemental and I try to strike a balance. I actually think it's interesting that I'm writing Lorelai and Christa growing closer in this story at the same time as I'm writing their growing rift in SS5, it's letting me see all the ends of the spectrum._

Chapter Forty-Nine: A Difference of Opinion

"You might not have a Romeo." Christa told Rory Sunday not long after she'd arrived. Lorelai had had to run to the Inn for a little while. So the two of them were hanging out and then they were going to Sookie's for brunch.

Rory looked at her sister in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Tristan got into some trouble last night. Big trouble."

"How did you find out?" Rory asked, were her sister's gossip connections that good? She didn't even go to Chilton anymore.

"He called me." Christa told her. "He needed someone and I guess I was it."

That was interesting, given that as far as Rory knew, Tristan and Christa didn't have that kind of relationship. She thought they had basically stopped communicating when Christa left for Boston.

"So you talked?" Rory asked.

"Not really.' Christa told her. "Talking wasn't what he needed."

Oh.

"So you went over there late and night and made out with him, even though he was in 'big' trouble?" Rory asked in disbelief and then she noticed the weird look on her sister's face. "You had sex with him?!"

Christa rolled her eyes. "You don't have to yell, but yes."

"You thought that was the appropriate moment?" Rory asked in disbelief. As far as she knew, she and her sister had both been waiting. Though she knew that Christa was waiting more out of fear of getting pregnant than anything else.

Christa just shrugged and Rory realized she was working on old information. "That wasn't the first time." She said slowly. "Colin?"

Christa nodded. "Yes, but I really don't want to be talking about it right now."

"Or with me?" Rory asked bitterly. They were twins and Christa couldn't even confide the details of her personal life. "And I'm surprised you mind talking about it, since you treat it so casually."

"How I treat it is my business." Christa said coldly.

"I'm just saying if Tristan was in a crisis he probably needed advice more than he needed a fun romp in the hay." Rory said scathingly.

"You know what, you don't get it and I don't need to explain myself.' Christa told her. "I'm going. Tell Mom, I'll talk to her later."

And before Rory could say anything, Christa grabbed her bag and headed towards the door. Rory watched her go, a million emotions going through her, including the fact that she wasn't the bad guy here.

* * *

"Where's Christa?" Lorelai asked when she arrived home. "I thought she'd be here by now."

"She was." Rory told her. "But we had a fight and she left."

"What kind of fight?" She asked slowly.

"Christa slept with Tristan last night." Rory told her.

Well, that wasn't what Lorelai expected to hear.

"Oh."

"Yeah." Rory confirmed.

"And that caused a fight?" She asked after a moment, though she thought she knew why.

"Christa told me that Tristan was in big trouble and might not make the play and then it came out that they had sex and I questioned her judgment." Rory said after a moment. "I mean, sex isn't the answer, right?"

Oh. Lorelai closed her eyes for a moment, not sure how to answer that.

"Christa's choices are her own," she said finally, "I don't know why she had sex with Tristan, but I'm sure she had her reasons."

"Did you know she's having sex?" Rory asked her. "And are you ok with it?"  
Another complicated question.

"I knew," Lorelai acknowledged, "and Rory, sex is a personal thing. Only the person involved can decide when they are ready and when it's meaningful."

"You keep telling me to wait until I'm sure," Rory accused.

"Yes and I told Christa the same thing." Lorelai pointed out. "However, it was up to her to decide if she was ready. Her level of readiness, doesn't have to be yours." She sighed. "Am I ok with my seventeen year old daughter having sex? I don't know. But I want her to be ok with it and it's her decision, not mine or yours."

This was one of those tricky situations in general because of her own history. She had lost her virginity at 14 and while she didn't want her girls repeating her mistakes, she also didn't want them to have hang-ups about sex. She also knew that Rory had a different viewpoint of sex and commitment than Christa did and that was ok.

"She slept with Tristan to make him feel better." Rory pointed out stubbornly. "How is that the right time and place?"

"Only your sister can answer that." Lorelai replied. She had an idea of what was going through her mind—how much of her relationship with Christopher had been influenced by their anger at their parents? How many times had they slipped off and drank stolen tequila and then ended up giving into hormones? Because nothing could make the pain go away, but at least sex could make you forget? But it wasn't something Rory could ever understand, which Lorelai was grateful for. However, Christa wasn't Rory and it didn't surprise Lorelai that Christa could make that leap.

Christa was pragmatic and less romantic than Rory, which was why in some ways she worried less about her, but she was also more jaded and the product of a very different world, which made Lorelai worry about her more. Because she never seriously worried about Rory repeating her mistakes, whereas with Christa she knew the possibility was always there and it terrified her.

* * *

"Sookie was disappointed that you missed brunch."

Christa sighed. She'd been expecting her mom to call her and she was sure her mother had heard Rory's side of the story by now. "Tell her, I'll make it up to her and that I'm kicking myself for missing out." She was. She loved Sookie's cooking. However, Rory had made her so mad that she just couldn't stay.

"So you and Rory had a fight, huh?" Lorelai said after a moment.

"Yeah." Christa confirmed. "I'm sure she told you why."

"She did." Lorelai agreed.

"Are you going to give me a lecture?" Christa asked. "About how irresponsible I am?"

"Well, I'm hoping you weren't irresponsible." Lorelai said dryly. "I assume you are smart enough to be safe and I also know that you don't make decisions lightly."  
Christa was really surprised by her mom's reaction. "I care about Tristan," she said softly, "I always have. And last night he was in pain and he needed me, but it wasn't just about that."

"I didn't think it was." Lorelai said quietly. "When we were teenagers, Christopher had a terrible fight with your grandfather. He'd been kicked out of another school and Straub pointed out all his failings and then afterwards, your father met me at a party, but his heart wasn't in it and I knew it and we took off alone and started drinking and talking and…"

Christa knew exactly what her mother was implying and she was surprised her mother was telling her this. Lorelai was open, especially about her mistakes, but she was still their mom. Christa fleetingly wondered if that was the first time her parents had had sex, but she wasn't about to ask.

"Rory didn't get it." Christa said after a moment.

"No." Lorelai confirmed. "Did you expect her to?"

No, she hadn't. Her sister was wonderful, but she was also so good and so rigid and so naïve. She didn't understand that life could be complicated and messy. It was why Christa kept so much from her.

"Come back here," Lorelai told her, "you and Rory can agree to disagree and you and I can binge on some junk food and prepare for the play."

"Brad will not be an inspired Romeo." Christa said with a laugh. Her mom was right, she and Rory wouldn't see eye to eye on this issues. Maybe they never would. And it was best to just move on.

At least, her mom seemed to be supportive. Even when everything else seemed beyond her control and so complicated: Colin and the others and their wild ways, Tristan, her dad, Sherri, her relationship with Rory, her mom was a constant. Christa loved that they were growing closer and that she could confide at least some of what was going on in her life to Lorelai and get support, not judgement. It was the best part of being back on the East Coast.


	50. Chapter 50: Goodbye Romeo

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer in Chapter One._

 _A.N- It's funny, because when I started writing Sugar and Spice, I actually planned on Tristan/Christa being the dominant pairing. Colin was just supposed to be a brief appearance, a nod to the later series. But then my muse told me that no, this was Colin and Christa's story, not Tristan and Christa's and so I completely changed directions. I'm not sure how I would have handled Tristan's exit if I had stuck to my original plans, but because I didn't, it's easy to keep it close to the original and just tweak it a little. This is Tristan's official exit, but it's not the last we will see of him in the S &S universe, I promise. _

Chapter Fifty: Goodbye Romeo

"Are we sure this is Shakespeare?" Sookie asked later while they watched Act 2, which was being interpreted as Caveman.

Lorelai smiled. She wasn't sure it was Shakespeare, but it was entertaining. She, Sookie, Dean, Christa and Lane had all come to watch the performance.

"Now I know why Paris wouldn't let them deviate," Christa commented, "this is an amazing train wreck."

Christa seemed to have put her fight with Rory behind her, which Lorelai was glad about, though she was a bit pre-occupied, probably over whatever was going on with Tristan.

"What's with all the grunting?" Dean asked.

"Marcus Johnson can't speak in full sentences, so they had to figure out a way to accommodate him." Christa joked. "He's Mercutio."

"His grunts are the most on point." Lane acknowledged.

Just then Rory showed up. "Hey."

"Oh, hey." Dean said with a smile.

"Oh, honey, you look like a princess!" Sookie exclaimed. "Doesn't she look like a princess?"

"She looks beautiful." Dean said, unable to tear his eyes away from Rory. Lorelai smiled at his devotion to her daughter. Dean was the perfect first boyfriend: loyal, adoring and safe. She cast a look at her other daughter, who was scanning the auditorium with a frown, and repressed a sigh. If only Christa had similar taste. It would mean Lorelai worried a lot less.

"Mom made the dress." Rory said with a blush.

"Not to mention the girl inside it." Lorelai joked, causing both twins to roll their eyes.

"Gross." Christa said with a grin. She looked at Lane. "Act III is about to start."

"Oh!" Lane said and stood up. "Henry's act!"

"That is the weirdest relationship." Christa commented and then turned to Rory. "I hate to say it, but Paris may have been really smart by making you do a classic interpretation. You would have to be an absolute disaster to be the worst performance of the night. I mean so far we have cavemen and a 1960s love-in. I think you guys are pretty much guaranteed success."

"If we have a Romeo." Rory pointed out.

"No sign of Tristan?" Lorelai asked, noticing the worried frown on Christa's face.

"No." Rory told him, she looked at Christa. "What did he say to you?"

"Not much." Christa said quietly. "Just that some stuff went down and that his parents were trying to figure out the next step. I assumed he would have called you guys, though."

Dean scoffed. "He doesn't strike me as the most considerate guy."

Both Christa and Rory glared at him. Rory sighed. "Paris is flagging me down, I'm guessing she's noticed our missing Romeo and panicking. I should go deal with her."

"I'll go too." Christa offered, standing up. "Deflect some of her anger."

Lorelai watched them go and then turned to Dean. "Rory was never interested in Tristan."

He sighed. "I know, but I still don't like him and I think he's bad news. What does Christa see him in?"

Lorelai exchanged a look with Sookie. "Christa's an enigma." She said, but all the while thinking that her daughter liked the fact that he was bad news. Her daughter liked to walk on the wild side and she seemed to be attracted to the beautiful, rebellious boys who did the same thing.

* * *

"He's not here." Paris complained to Rory, "I can't find him anywhere and I called his home, his cell and three girls I know he was seeing." She turned to Christa. "I don't suppose _you_ know where he is?"

"Last I heard, at home under house arrest." Christa told her. "He got in some trouble last night."

Paris closed her eyes. "Of course he did. He has been nothing but trouble this year. We are going to fail."

"We're not going to fail." Rory assured her.

Christa wanted to point out that Madeline and Louise, who were nowhere to be seen, were the ones who should be freaking out since a failure, and Christa doubted that they would actually fail, would be much worse for them than Chilton's top two students. However, she knew that wouldn't go over-well, so she kept her mouth shut. For once.

Paris ignored her. "Do you think Harvard accepts people who fail Shakespeare, because I am pretty sure they don't." She threw up her hands. "I knew he was going to do this, but no one wanted to listen to me. It was all, "Tristan's hot, he should be Romeo."

"What about Brad?" Rory asked logically.

"Brad transferred schools." Paris said and Christa couldn't hold back a laughter, which caused Paris to glare at her. "You think this is funny? Of course you do, because life is a big joke to you."

"I'm not the one who terrorized someone so badly they switched schools," Christa responded, "so yeah, I think it's funny."

She was saved from whatever response Paris was going to make by the appearance of Tristan. She was surprised, she really hadn't thought he'd be able to make it.

"Where have you been?" Paris demanded. "Why aren't you in costume? We're on in 10 minutes."

"I can't." Tristan told her. "My dad pulled me out of school."

So he had been right, he was done at Chilton.

Paris stomped away.

"If she ever sees me again, she'll stab me." Tristan joked weakly. There was silence between the three of them for a moment.

"I'm going to go make sure she doesn't kill someone," Rory commented before disappearing as well, leaving Christa and Tristan alone.

"So you've been pulled out of Chilton?" She asked softly.

"Yeah. I'm going to military school in North Carolina." He told her with a shrug. "My dad's insisting. That's what they were fighting about last night."

Christa had managed to sneak in and out of his place without his parents seeing her, but she had noticed that the lights at the main house had still been on when she'd left, even though it had been almost 4 a.m. So it probably had been a long night.

"I'm sorry." Christa said softly.

"I deserve it." Tristan told her. "I screwed up. I do that a lot. And my dad is right, I can't stay here. My reputation at this school is shot. I need a fresh start and I think I need to be away from him."

Christa just nodded. "Take care of yourself." She said after a moment.

"I will." Tristan promised her. He put his hand under her chin. "Thank you." He said softly. "For last night and for everything."

He leaned down and kissed her. It was a sweet kiss, full of longing and a little regret. Because it was also a definite goodbye. After a moment, they broke the kiss and just looked at each other, though Tristan's arm remained around her.

"Tristan!" Mr. Dugrey shouted from down the hall.

"I need to go." He told her, letting her go. "For the record, I still prefer spice to sugar."

Christa smiled despite the tears in her eyes and watched him walk down the hallway, wondering if she would ever see him again.

* * *

"So did you and Paris kiss for real?" Dean teased Rory when the play was done and they were sitting at Luke's.

"A lady never kisses and tells." Rory commented. She wasn't sure how she felt about Paris stepping in for Romeo, but Paris was right, someone had to do it and they had pulled off the play, hopefully with a decent mark.

She looked at her sister who was playing with her fries instead of eating them. She didn't know what had been said between Tristan and Christa, but it had obviously affected her sister.

"Can you excuse us for a moment?" She asked Dean. Her mom and Sookie were at the counter talking to Luke. He nodded and got up. She turned to Christa. "So Tristan is leaving Chilton?"

"Military school." Her sister told her. "Rory, I know you don't—"

"No, I don't understand," Rory said cutting her off, "But I shouldn't have jumped on you. It's your life, not mine and it's obvious you really care about Tristan."

"I do." Christa said softly. "A lot."

"I'm sorry he's gone," Rory offered.

"Me too." Christa said quietly. "But I hope he finds what he needs."

Rory nodded just as Dean, her mom and Sookie joined them and the conversation turned back to Romeo and Juliet, as they discussed the various interpretations.

Rory participated in the discussion, but kept looking at her sister. She still wasn't sure she understood Christa's decision to sleep with Tristan and she didn't think her sister placed enough value on sex or relationships, but… She couldn't deny her sister did care about Tristan and maybe for Christa, caring was enough, even if it wasn't for Rory.

Rory resolved to try and keep her thoughts to herself from now on because she didn't want to push Christa away. It hurt that Christa didn't confide in her and judging Christa would only make that worse, so she needed to try and remember that she and Christa were very different and that Christa needed to live her own life, for better or worse.


	51. Chapter 51: Inner Conflict

Sugar and Spice: Everything Changes  
By Misha

 _Disclaimer in Chapter One._

 _A.N- If you've read Sugar and Spice: The More Things Change_ , _you know how this year will end for Christopher and Christa. But I didn't want it to be about one moment, even though that will be the dramatic tipping point, instead we're going to build up to it and show exactly why Christa made the choices she did._

Chapter Fifty-One: Inner Conflict

"I feel like a bad person because I'm not looking forward to my dad coming home." Christa confided in Logan over lunch. She had driven up to New Haven for the day to see the boys. Colin was in class, but would be joining them shortly. "Well, I'm looking forward to seeing him, just not…"

"Going back to Boston?" Logan guessed. "You seem pretty happy right now. Apparently being back in Connecticut agrees with you."

"It's been fun." Christa told him. "And it is easier."

"Yes, I heard that your grandparents aren't enforcing any rules." Logan said with a grin.

"It's more than that," Christa said with a laugh, "though that is nice. It's just different… Less pressure. It's been weird with my dad lately."

"Things aren't getting any better?" Logan asked sympathetically.

"They aren't bad." Christa told him. "I mean, he hasn't added any new rules in a while and I think we're both adjusting. But it's not the way it used to be. And, I don't know, it's so much easier with my mom. I feel like I can tell her anything, I don't feel that way about my dad anymore."

"I don't feel that way about either of my parents," Logan said dryly, "so I think you're ahead of the game. It may also be easier because you don't live with her."

"Probably." Christa agreed. "But it used to be easy with Dad." She was still resentful of all the changes and she knew it had changed her relationship with Christopher. Last year, she would have been able to confide in him as easily as Lorelai, now she purposely kept stuff from him.

"Have you considered staying in Connecticut?" Logan asked her. "I'm sure your grandparents would be thrilled and you just seem so happy and relaxed right now."

"No." Christa told him. "I couldn't do that to Dad. We're a team."

The thought had crossed her mind a few times this week and not because of the lack of rules. But because she could drive up to have lunch with Logan if she wanted and she could hang out with her sister and antagonize Paris and be with Lorelai when she wanted. Because the last week and a bit had been really _good_.

But at the same time… It had always been her and her father against the world. They were a team. He had been the one to raise her and she couldn't just abandon him now.

Logan nodded and let it go. "So, we're going to organize a group dinner tonight before you go. There's a Chinese place we've been wanting to try."

"Sounds like fun." Christa told him. She didn't have to be home by any particular time, though she knew it shouldn't be too late since she had to drive. Still, she could do dinner, though she ignored the little voice that told her she could do this all the time if she moved back to Hartford.

That wasn't an option. She belonged with her dad.

* * *

"You can't still be hungry!" Jessica, one of Marissa's roommates, exclaimed in a scandalized voice as she watched Christa fill her plate for the third time.

"Christa makes eating an Olympic sport." Robert teased.

She shrugged. "I like food."

"But you look like that!" Jessica pointed out. "How?"

"Good genes." Christa told her. She knew her eating habits were unusual and she was used to the comments. "My mother and sister are the same way."

"I hate you." Jessica told her with a sigh. "This meal is already going to be mean an extra half hour of working out tomorrow."

"I just won't eat tomorrow," Marissa joked. "I'd rather be hungry than work out."

This lead to laughter and some eye-rolls. Christa was about to respond, but her phone rang. She frowned seeing it was her grandmother. "Hello?"

"Hello, darling, I was just looking at the weather and then checking the time," Francine told her, "and I know time must have slipped away from you, but I'm really not comfortable with you driving home tonight. Is it possible for you to stay with a friend tonight? I'll explain to your father that I asked you to, if it comes up."

"Uh, yeah, that can be arranged." Christa commented, though she glanced at her watch and saw it was only 8. Not that late and as far as she knew, the weather was fine.

"That makes me feel better." Francine told her. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"That's weird." Christa said, hanging up her phone.

"What is it?" Colin asked, draping his arm around the back of her chair. "Is something wrong?"

"No, my grandmother just said she's worried about me driving so late and asked if I could find a place to stay for the night." Christa explained. "So someone want to let me crash with them?"

She was immediately greeted with several offers, just like she had known she would. Colin just shot her a sexy smile that made it clear where she would be sleeping that night.

"This just got better." Logan said with a grin. "So now we need evening entertainment! Where next?"

Christa grinned and let them plan. She was thrilled for the unexpected overnight trip, but why had her grandmother suggested it? It was definitely odd, though she wasn't going to complain. This was turning into the best vacation ever.

* * *

"I have no idea why Grandma told me to stay here tonight." Christa mentioned to Colin later that night when they were alone in his dorm.

"Whatever the reason, I approve." Colin told her with a grin, pulling her closer to him. "These last two weeks have been a pleasant change, less hurdles to work around to see each other."

"My dad let me come up and visit." Christa pointed out. "And I can go to Hartford pretty much whenever I want."

Colin shot her a look. "Come on, though, hasn't the last two weeks been easier? You haven't had to beg or plead to visit, you can just do what you want. Your grandparents are going out of there way to make life good for you."

"I know." Christa said with a sigh. "It's weird. Last year was good, but it wasn't **this** good."

"They're trying to bribe you." Colin told her with a shrug. "They want you to live with them."

Christa paused, realizing that he was right. Of course, he was right. Her grandparents were aware of Christopher's new rules and had probably picked up on the tension between her and her father.

"I'm an idiot." She said, pulling away from Colin. "Of course, that's what they're doing."

"Is it working?" Colin asked, putting his arms behind his head.

"No!" Christa told him, a little too quickly. "I belong with Dad."

"You've been unhappy since you moved to Boston." Colin pointed out. "All you talk about how it how much your dad has changed or how much you hate his girlfriend."

"It's an adjustment." Christa said defensively. "It doesn't mean I can just leave. Besides, he's my dad. I can't just move out because I don't like having a curfew. I don't even know that would work."

"Your grandfather was a lawyer, right?" Colin pointed out. "I'm sure he could make it happen if it was what you wanted. After all, you are seventeen and it's not like you'd be going to live in the streets."

"I know." Christa said with a sigh. "It's just… I can't do that to my dad. He's always been there for me and I can't just abandon him because I hate his girlfriend. We'll work it out."

"Ok." Colin told her with a shrug. "You know what's best for you." He grinned. "But I think it's great your grandmother let you stay tonight. What time do you have be back tomorrow?"

Christa shrugged. "Probably by dinner time. She didn't specify."

"I have a couple classes, but one's a lecture and you can tag along," Colin suggested. "See what a business class is like and I'm sure Logan could entertain you for a while and we can do lunch before you head back."

"Sound like fun." Christa agreed. She wasn't sure what her eventual major would be, but she'd told Colin that she was leaning towards business, like him. She'd helped Lorelai study a few times and found it interesting.

For a moment, Christa let herself imagine what life would be like if she came back to Connecticut. Hanging out with Logan and Colin on a more regular basis, seeing her mom and Rory every day, no curfew… It sounded magical. But it meant leaving her dad and she couldn't do that to him. She **wouldn't** do that to him.


End file.
